


The Soldier and The Empress

by Dragon86411



Category: Kill la Kill (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:47:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 31,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26379802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragon86411/pseuds/Dragon86411
Summary: On her travels conquering other schools, Satsuki Kiryuin recruits another loyal and trustful subject into her elites: Kai Tadasuki. This subject is deeply in love with Satsuki, so he does the only thing he can do for her: follow her no matter the result. Now as the Vice-president of Honoouji Academy he will dedicate its body and soul to make Satsuki's big plan a success. But an enemy unknown to everyone will get in his way.(A/N): This fic assumes you've already watched Kill la Kill as it skips a lot of story and there will be spoilers.  Feel free to change the name of MC and its weapon. I do not own Kill la Kill. Would love to know your opinions and suggestions. Thanks in Advance.
Relationships: Hakodate Omiko/Other(s), Kiryuuin Satsuki/Original Character(s)
Kudos: 2





	1. Dragonless (Prologue)

**Author's Note:**

> Just a couple of things before you start reading.
> 
> I won’t be using subtitles for the vast majority of it, only when not everyone can ‘hear’ these characters is when i’ll use them (Like Senketsu).
> 
> This fic is (most of the time) written in first person perspective to add to the immersion.
> 
> This is a Satsuki X Reader/Insert Fic, I just think that leaving the name blank takes away from the immersion. Also the ‘good shit’ will come in tiny bits here and there as well as some big ones.
> 
> The story will curve away from the anime later down the line, especially after the biggest event on the anime happens.
> 
> I appreciate feedback and grammar corrections greatly, as long as you ain’t an asshole about it it’ll be Okay. (I do spelling mistakes on purpose when I’m the one ‘talking’)
> 
> With all that said, please enjoy and tell me what you like and what you don't. Thanks for reading.

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

Sanageyama is tapping on his leg. He, his three companions Ira Gamagoori, Houka Inumuta, Nonon Jakuzure and Mistress Satsuki Kiryuin sat outside a surgery room inside a big ship. The tapping is rhythmic, as if he would tap according to a heartbeat.

*Tap* *Tap*-*Tap* *Tap*-*Tap* *Tap* -*Tap* *Tap*

A good friend of all of them is now in critical condition. They found him half-dead defending a zone from the COVERS. The rags he was wearing barely resembled the original uniform, now was all nasty with dirt, sweat and bloodstains, some of his bloodstains were completely dry.

*Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap*

They all noticed Sanageyama lowering the pace.

Gamagoori stood still.

Nonon bit her nails.

Inumuta was typing slowly on his computer like trying to match the taping.

Sanageyama was so focused on the beat that he did not notice that his own foot was also following it.

And Satsuki, even though she looked the most relaxed, she was the most worried of them all. Her second in command almost died once to save her life, now he put his life on the line again so they got a fighting chance against the COVERS, and she also knows really damn well His feelings for her, which only made her worry even more.

*Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap* - *Tap*

“No, no, no NO NO NO NO! DON'T DO THIS TO ME, MAN!” The man inside the surgery room yelled soon between the ever slowing tapping.

The clattering of machines deafened the heartbeats of the ones waiting outside.

A single minute passed. And yet, every second, a part of their own soul left their body.

*Tap* --- *Tap* --- *Tap* --- *Tap*

*Tap* --------------------

Sanageyama stopped tapping his leg, clenched his fist with that hand and he could be seen frustrated, like looking for something.

Gamagoori from his position let his arm fall to the ground and his knees almost, Almost touched the ground.

Nonon was completely paralyzed with blank eyes.

Inumuta tried to hide his tears behind his glasses.

Satsuki closed her eyes the moment Sanageyama stopped taping and, unconsciously, brought her hand to her chest and whether it was the sorrow or the pain, she could not feel her own heartbeat.

“Kai...” She said, and a single tear fell down her face.


	2. Lizard Among Pigs

Satsuki Kiryuin

That’s the name of the woman who stole my place as the student council president at my high school.

Back then I didn't rule the school out of greed or desire for power, but out of fear, I wanted everyone to stay away from me. So I recruited followers and with them I made my dream school and it looked like my second year would be just as peaceful, that's when she showed up.

Long black hair, blue eyes and a stare that could kill. She completely destroyed the defences i built over the last year. Not even an hour past her arrival, many of my followers had left me for good and the ones who attacked her were already on the ground.

_**Satsuki Kiryuin** _

She shouted her name as she demanded my presence. There was nothing else to do, i had to go out and face her myself.

Once I was alone in front of her, four other figures showed up, a pink haired girl, next to her a blue haired four eyes. To Satsuki’s other side, a green haired punk with a bamboo sword and finally behind her a two and a half meters tall blonde buff man.

I had no chance against her, let alone any of her goons. However, I also had no reason to surrender. my weapon was a pair of claws made out of scrap that i slowly put on without taking my eyes off Satsuki. Either fear or something else kept me from looking away as to which one was, I got my answer soon after.

“Surrender!” The long haired woman in white uniform shouted at me, almost making me kneel from that alone. seeing that was not the case she seemed somewhat impressed.

I let out a groan, her shout did not beat me, but sure as shit left me tired.

“Impressive” She sounded way different now “You who ruled over this people with fear, you were right to do so, but you lacked something very important!” she went back to shouting, draining more and more energy out of me with every word.

“Hm, and here i thought this one was going to be some pushover… i need to reexamine the data” the blue four eyes spoke to no one in particular.

“Like a lizard under a hail...” the other girl with satsuki ‘answered’ to the glasses guy.

“Oh ho” the green haired punk said surprised while the big blonde man said nothing.

Satsuki Kiryuin

She took a step forward, a single step, then a blinding light appeared from behind her, I could not see it’s origin.

“Come at me and if you survive, I will tell you what you lack!” She hit the ground with her sword and again more energy left my body.

I only had enough strength in me for one single attack, so I had to make it count.

With the last of my pride of the position I got for myself I managed to speak back to her.

“Then so be it!” Thus I readied my weapon. I put all my strength on that attack, or so it seemed, it was a feint, when I got closer to her I would change direction, that's all i had to work with.

And she still stopped me effortlessly and calmly as when she first showed up. a strike from her sheathed sword to the stomach and with my Scrap Claws broken i fell to my knees in defeat. I barely managed to lift my head, I saw Satsuki at my left, three of the four goons she brought were far more relaxed than just a second ago, but the tall blonde one looked way more serious than anyone else.

Finally she spoke.

Satsuki Kiryuin

“Determination”

That was the last thing I heard before I fell to the floor barely conscious. With my defeat she was done here, so they were preparing to leave. And just as she gave a final speech to the ones who were still somewhat awake, a speech I could not hear. I saw her in the distance, that same blinding light I was now able to see perfectly through it. before i was almost lost to fatigue but now i was lost for words at her beauty, why was it so different now from the one that beat my ass just a moment ago?

She wasn’t, the moment I laid my eyes on her I felt it, but I didn't realize it yet…

“I want to follow her.” That’s all that went through my mind after that, i had to act fast, i had to move. I managed to get some strength in my hands and rip some grass, as I slowly raised my head once again, I realized that they weren’t that far from me as I originally saw, probably a trick of the fatigue.

I was now kneeling, and all five of the spectators were in complete silence, I didn't know why then, but now I know it was them acknowledging the strength I had to get up after one of Kiryuin’s strikes. I remember the blonde man smiling if just a little, the glasses guy typing at a computer and the punk was definitely happy, the pink girl was looking at Satsuki, like waiting for her to say something.

Next step was to get up, I just knew it. So I tried and tried and tried until I lost count of how many times I tried but failed. i felt pathetic.

Then in the endless white noise I heard a voice, Satsuki’s.

“GET! UP!”

Inexplicably I sprang up and got on my own two feet, stumbling a little, but I did not fall. I was not going to fall ever again.

Somehow now I could clearly see the faces of the four, the big man was now all smiles, the four-eyes was typing even faster, the other two were still the same but the punk was looking at Satsuki this time. She was smiling, I was lost to her sight again but this time I was breathing heavily trying to regain consciousness.

“Well Done Tadasuki! You have proven yourself! Join me at Honnouji Academy!”

That's when I pledged my undying loyalty to Lady Satsuki, The woman that stole my heart.

From there on out I expressed my love for her in the form of loyalty, hoping once all this is over, once her little sister and father are avenged, once Ragyo is defeated maybe, just maybe I… no, I’ll save those thoughts for later.

“Tadasuki, sir, is everything in order?” Omiko Hakodate, two star leader of the tennis club asked me, her superior, to check if everything was in ok after i inspected it.

“Yes, there seems to be no problems with your equipment, Sanageyama should be here soon for the last adjustments… by the way, what happened to the new girl?”

She told me what happened to the new girl after one of her club members didn’t show up to practice the day before.

“I see, she’ll most likely show up again… ah! whatever, it’s Sanageyama’s problem now (and I still cannot follow what is happening inside of her pretty head… I’ll ask Nonon later… no, that sounds like a bad idea...)” with that I left the tennis court to examine other clubs and their equipment, such is my duty as vice-president... well that and follow her orders.


	3. Lioness' Prey

Back at the Elites Meeting Room, everyone was there but Sanageyama. I gave Inumuta the results of my inspection and he went back to typing like a maniac, Satsuki with her usual cup of tea, Nonon gave me that smug look she always does and Gamagoori was silently watching the school grounds from the window and ignored me completely.

“I think there’s nothing else for a while now, would you mind if I pay a visit to Iori, Lady Satsuki?” I said while sitting on one of the chairs in the counter Inumuta was but decently far from him, from this spot I could see everyone else, specially Satsuki.

“This has to do with another one of your experiments, Tadasuki?” She saw right through me.

“Guilty as charged”

“You’re brutally honest sometimes y'know, Mr. Lizard?” Nonon teased “If I didn’t knew any better I’d say you trying something weird” I gave Nonon a deadly glare, unfazed by it she continued “But I DO know better, either way I don’t think you’d want miss this match” And she pointed her baton towards the Tennis ground.

I barely noticed, but Satsuki’s expression turned somewhat angry for a moment before going back to her usual composed self.

“Hm?!”

As expected, the new girl, Ryuko Matoi, was having a tennis match against Omiko Hakodate, wearing that exhibisionist outfit, Senketsu… Fresh Blood... I think she called it. 

Senketsu is a  **_Kamui_ ** : a sailor uniform made entirely out of Life Fibers, the students can only withstand a uniform made from 20 to 30% life fibers on them. So how was this nobody who dared speak to Lady Satsuki so openly capable of wearing that uniform!

“(Who are you? Ryuko Matoi!)” my anger was obvious.

The match was going extremely well for Omiko, one point away from winning, yet inside my heart I could tell she was going to lose. Of course I did not want that. After seeing how happy she was with her new two stars goku uniform.

But then Matoi started to use that scissor as a racket, that’s when Satsuki stepped in and forced Sanageyama to continue the match. That look on her face, that was the look she gave to losers, thus I assumed Omiko was done for.

Sure enough soon after there she goes a stripped Omiko flying through the tennis court. Not anything I haven’t seen before, but I still felt bad for her.

Two years ago, when Omiko Hakodate was a first year no star student, I became interested in her and we dated for a couple of months. However, one day out of the blue Lady Satsuki demanded our break up. I was confused as to why… but I obeyed without doubt and put an end to our relationship. I was and I’m still stupidly entranced by Satsuki’s everything. So while I was sad that I had to leave Omiko, I am Satsuki's loyal right hand. The feelings I had towards Hakodate were akin to a wildfire, spreading everlasting throughout my heart, but Satsuki, she is my sun. There was no real way to compare them even if I tried.

“(!!!)” I swear for a second I saw Satsuki smile at Omiko’s defeat. Seriously, today I can’t figure out anything she’s scheming.

I have made several things before that defied logic… and common sense. but none of them prepared me for Satsuki’s inner workings, and I loved it.

Then she went on and challenged Matoi, the battle ended quickly since Ryuko managed to escape. After Matoi ran away she demoted Hakodate to a no-star, kinda harsh but she can do whatever she wants. That was the end of the day at Honnouji Academy.

The rest of the day was relatively uneventful, I had my daily arm wrestle with Gamagoori, I always win when Lady Satsuki is present. Updated Nonon with the latest dirt I had on the Two Stars students. Sanageyama was angry and didn’t talk too much. Then I had a long talk with Shiro and Inumuta about a guinea pig for the 5 star goku uniform experiment, unlike my other experiments, this one was approved by Lady Satsuki and I was barely involved in it.

A storm was coming, I could tell. which is ironic since tomorrow was gonna be sunny all day.

Of course the next day was sunny as all hell and I got more work to do… great, supervise more stuff, get even more dirt on students for Nonon and I can't even be there for the five stars uniform test. Then again that isn’t a bad thing at all… if Matoi Ryuko goes around making a mess I get to be the first and probably the last one of us to fight her, I’m sure Sanageyama will be pissed, but that didn’t stopped me while we were out conquering other schools.

Surprisingly the day went on without any incident other than the five start experiment being a failure.

Isshin Matoi, Ryuko’s father who she believes was killed by Satsuki. I do not believe that to be the case in the slightest, yet I somehow know there is some sort of relation between all of them.

I got a little late to the meeting room since I went to have a little talk with Omiko about her fight with Ryuko. Surprise surprise, Satsuki had left for her house to retrieve a very special set of clothes, undoubtedly she won’t need my help there, though it would have been nice to be the first one to see her in that outfit…

“crap i can’t do it…” I’m worried about what that thing will do to her… then again, if Matoi could wear Senketsu, then perhaps… no, definitely… She can definitely manage a Kamui!

First thing in the next morning, Satsuki already had a bunch of One-Star students making some sort of arena, waiting for Ryuko Matoi. When we all were summoned she gave us the details of today’s performance. We are not to interrupt her battle with Matoi. Well at least I assumed that was what she said… 

I could not take my eyes off her, that Kamui, Junketsu… Purity…, it looked like it had two eyes for a scarf, honestly I was both scared and mesmerized, It suited her so well, yet it could not help myself but worry about what will happen…

Needless to say, what happened right after Matoi arrived was overwhelming, the shockwaves, the one stars flying all over the place… the way she looked… no, I must keep those thoughts out, there’s a time and place for those.

Finally after while Matoi fell to the ground and Satsuki gave an interesting speech and just as she was gonna land the killing blow…

“Mankanshoku? What the Fuck is she doing there?!” The bowl cut no-star gave an interesting speech in front of Satsuki, I was angry, but I could not interrupt.

It is with great sadness in my heart that I kind of understood what she was trying to say, even if she herself didn’t… -Some limits oneself must break in order to unleash the full power of a Kamui- or something along those lines, I still don’t fully understand the Kamuis.

From there on out I was constantly suppressing my urges to jump in the battle, but that would be: Against her orders and an Insult to her Ambitions, so I’m not gonna do that. Not that I was the only one like this either way.

That final clash though, the first time in a while that I've felt like I had to grab onto something for dear life. After that, Matoi collapsed and I never felt this angry in my entire life, I almost transformed my Onslaught Regalia and started to beat that New girl to death. But I had to wait until Lady Satsuki stopped talking. The click of her heels, man I love it when she does them, with it my rage almost banished in its entirety. Satsuki declared that Matoi was to defeat all the two-stars students that go after her if she wants the rematch.

“(I don’t know what she is thinking making Matoi fight the two stars, but I swear I’ll find out!)” I did not know why, but I damn sure knew how to act after that. With that the day ended, Ryuko left and Satsuki went back up for a cup of tea.

I stayed up late figuring out the punishments and rewards in order to get the two star students to constantly fight Matoi. The Punishment was obvious: Demotion to no-star. The Reward was a bit more tricky though.

“If you beat her You get to be a Three Star… that sure sounds like a lot… huh?!” I noticed a presence behind me, a powerful one.

“What exactly are you doing here this late, Kai?”

“Lady Satsuki!” I bowed as soon as I realized that she was behind me. What I hadn’t realized was that she was wearing only a bathrobe.

“So?”

“Sorry, I was looking at the preparations for the Matoi vs All, I got a couple of suggestions from Nonon...” I was still bowing, I could not see her face, but I could tell she had Bakuzan with her.

*Sigh*

“(Huh? did she just...)”

“Don’t over do it, when the time comes I want all of you in proper form”

“Then should I continue tomorrow?” I could barely think straight, I'm not sure I'll be able to say anything coherent if I lifted my face to fully see her. Also, it was weird that she had not asked me to raise my head yet, lucky me I guess.

“I don’t think you will need to, do Nonon’s suggestions, i believe i'll like them… You did not conduct another experiment on yourself today?” She sounded very serious but I could swear I heard her voice crack.

“I… Did not” I could not lie to Lady Satsuki, not that I had any real reason to. 

The experiments I had done were as a proper guinea pig for the four and five star Goku uniforms. it was extremely painful to say the least, but me and Shiro made a discovery, it was still nothing worth telling Lady Satsuki. The one thing I did hide from her was  **_The Izanami_ ** , a wristblade made with the same material as Bakuzan. I kept it secret because I don’t want Ragyo to find out, that said, either or both of them probably already know I have it with me, so it doesn't matter at this point

She then sighed again and.

“Raise Your Head”

“(SHIT!)” I did what she told me too, but slowly, I wanted to slowly adapt to this sight that probably me and a very other few will ever see.

“Your eyes...”

“Is... there something wrong with them?”

“They are really red” Her voice was far too soft, am I dreaming?

“Then I guess I overdid it today... (She is concerned about me? I may as well be the happiest may alive right now!)” Just as I thought I could not be any happier, she gently grabbed my face and I naturally blushed.

“Hm” That and a smile. I was okay if I died right there and then. I unconsciously grabbed her hand that was on my face as if I was trying to not let her go.

We both stood there silently for almost a minute, but my tiredness kicked in and I was the one who broke out from it first. I wanted this moment to last forever, but there were orders I had to fulfill. I gently grabbed her hand, pushed it away from my face and placed it on Bakuzan. That’s when I saw her blush, the Lioness of Honnouji, blushing, I must've died and was now in heaven.

“I must take my leave  _ Satsuki _ ...” She turned around, took her hand to her chest and spoke as the normal Lady Satsuki.

“Yes, Go.”

“At once, Lady Satsuki” I bowed, slightly this time and went away to my room and the Academy… “(What. Just. Happened.)” Was all that was in my mind after flopping tired onto my bed.


	4. Scales and Fangs

The day after, I walked into the meeting room, as if nothing had happened, perhaps it was for the better to think it was all a dream.

The following days were full of Demotions from the two stars who were easily defeated by Matoi, but also there were many new clubs being formed, at the very least I didn’t got the short end of the stick on that one, not that Gamagoori needs any help with the rest of it.

I used all the free time I got from not having to supervise as many clubs to think about what Satsuki wanted by letting Matoi loose and to Try and convince myself that what happened that night was all a dream, the latter was unachievable. I wanted it to be real, of course.

Lost in thought walking around the halls of Honnouji I get a call from  **_Shiro Iori._ **

“You gotta see this!” He was a closet mad scientist, it was both scary and perfect for my plans.

“What do you mean Shiro? Surely it can't be...”

“But it is, come see  **_her_ ** , I believe we are not the only ones that will be pleased with this.”

**_The Izanami_ ** , that’s what he meant to show me. I rushed my way to the secret vault below the sewing club, which was in itself, a secret laboratory below the Academy. A couple of password doors and a scan later I reached the vault, Shiro is already there, typing away at a console in front of the Shackled Izanami.

“Whoa there! What are all those Chains, eh Iori?” He did not realize I had just entered, damn, he’s just like Inumuta when this stuff happens… “Oy, Iori! SHIRO!”

Finally he noticed me and stopped typing to turn around and look at me, the look on his eyes, like those of a madman.

“This is a fascinating development! Kai!” he was excited so he shouted.

“Care to explain what happened?” I pretend I'm not startled by his mad scientist lines to see if that gets him to calm down.

He fakes a cough “Anyway, by using both Matoi’s Senketsu and Lady Satsuki’s Junketsu data I got from inumuta i managed to increase Izanami's power”

“I guess those are good news, care to give me more details?”

“By numbers alone Izanami should be stronger than Bakuzan, oh the chains were there because I also added some more Life Fibers into her mix and it didn’t stop rattling.”

“Well that doesn’t sound ominous at all...”

“Regardless, I’ve run the tests and she’s ready to be equipped”

That was quite the change in tone, he was now back to his normal self. I trust Shiro, and if he doesn’t think this’ll kill me, then so be it.

“Then how about I try it on right now?”

“I thought you’d say that, so please proceed as we practiced before”

The station looked like a giant sewing machine, well, that’s what it is after all. I put down my uniform in it, right sleeve below the needle. There was a big tube connecting this station with the place The Izanami was chained. Just as Shiro was doing some last adjustments, he pressed a button and slowly Izanami was being moved towards the station.

He had a briefcase with him, he sat waiting for Izanami to arrive and opened it, a couple of cloth rags. I assume they are Four Star ones, like my own uniform, for the Union with Izanami.

“I assume you are ready for the toll she will take on you…”

“Of course, I can’t and won't Leave Lady Satsuki to walk any path alone.”

“Thought so” He then looked towards the chained Izanami that had just arrived -“Then time to work”- He did not touch Izanami, a machine placed it in place to be sewn to my Uniform. It didn’t take too long for Shiro to finish, but he did seem somewhat tired.

“How does she feel? Oh, I also took the liberty of changing it a little, so if you feel something different apart from the blade then don’t panic.”

I put my uniform on. Izanami was heavy, really heavy, maybe it was because I was unaccustomed to it. The uniform looked exactly the same, That’s Shiro’s magic for ya, he does a really good job at keeping appearances. Now to test this new toy.

The Three stars in my right gauntlet and the one on the left lit up a little. The Uniform and the jacket I had on my shoulders fell apart and took a new form.

**_“Yottsu-boshi Goku Seifuku! Totsugeki no Sō!” (Four-Star Goku Uniform! Onslaught Regalia)_ **

An tight looking armor was in place of my uniform, it looked like a combination between a Knight’s armor and reptile scales alongside a tail. The helmet looked like a dragon’s head that had four stars for eyes, two on each side. Big boots resembling reptile legs and gauntlets like Gamagoori’s along with a Rapier for the finishing touches. Silver and Cyan, Shiro knows me well.

“I trust you like the changes.”

“Indeed” I looked at where Izanami should have been, it was hidden inside the gauntlet. “Now let’s see if she is a good girl and behaves properly...”

Focusing my thoughts on Izanami to get it out, I make the rapier disappear. After a couple of seconds. Red lightning started to emerge from where Izanami was placed towards my uniform and I heard the voice of someone in my head, telling me to kill Shiro. Once again my madman logic kicked in.

“(Oh, You trying to take over me Izanami?! Bullshit I’ll let you, Only Satsuki orders ME around! You. Are. MY. Weapon!)” I scream as Shiro watches silently.

Izanami bursts through the gauntlet. A Silver blade made out of Life fibers, A red lightning surrounds it and i feel my armor shake a little.

“Yes, Upgrade complete!”

“Can confirm this will be a nice surprise to Lady Satsuki once things start to move, good work Shiro”

“Thank you for letting me work on it, sadly I don’t believe I can make more of them anytime soon, I'm gonna be busy with the increasing amount of new ‘Club Leaders’ ”

“Tell me about it...”

We laugh it off and make our way back up. Secretly hoping that Lady Satsuki will let me take care of the Matoi Girl myself, so I can show her what happens when you mess with The Empress of Honnouji.

On the elevator though, I recall seeing something interesting in Shiro’s personal quarters, a wedding dress.

“Oy Shiro”

“What now?”

“Who’s the lucky girl?”

He blushes slightly “I have no idea what you are talking about...”

“Sure you don’t, no need to worry, as long as Nonon doesn’t find out by herself I'll keep it a secret.”

“Fine… It’s for... Lady Satsuki...”

“WHOA!”

“I've always wanted to handmade one of those...”

“Handmade?! Damn you’re good… is it finished?”

“Nah, it’s a side project as of right now, with all the stuff I have to do at the Sewing club I barely have time to work on it… but I do I want Lady Satsuki to wear the dresses I make when her big day comes… that has been my dream since I’ve known her”- There was a short yet incredibly awkward silence -“Oh, just for the record, I’m not interested in her, I just want to be the one that get to make the dress for her...”

“Thanks, I guess...” I look away from him trying to avoid eye contact, he sighs without looking at me and then smiles “(I guess he also knows now…)” seconds later the doors open and we return to the Academy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some images that i could not upload here (Cuz i wont let me) So i highly encourage you to follow my insta and twittar. Where I upload both fanart and stuff i make for my fics. both @Dragon86411 (Same as Username)


	5. The Four Winds and a Stormcloud

Endless, dark, head feels light. Ground finally appears. Satsuki is there in her kamui, wielding Bakuzan and pointing it at someone.

Her mouth moves but no words come out.

Then someone starts to take shape, a man, not too big, not too small. He is grabbing where his right arm has been chopped off with his other hand, preventing blood loss. He is on his knees while Satsuki points Bakuzan at him. His face is just a dark silhouette. The man speaks.

“It’s been a blast...”

Satsuki raises Bakuzan over her head, aimed towards the man’s neck. She takes the slash with all the strength she has.

As Bakuzan was about to reach the man’s neck, his face was recognizable now. Head raised, eyes closed and smiling. Kai Tadasuki, that was his current name. 

“Goodbye... Satsuki...”

His head flies off detached from the rest of his body..

Another not so dark room, a big bed could be made out from the dim light. Someone was sleeping on it, a pale beauty with really long black hair, Satsuki Kiryuin. One second she looked like she was peacefully and deeply asleep, the next one, she got up screaming and in cold sweat.

“KAI!” Reaching her hand forward, she felt like a month worth of sleep just left her body.

Mr. Soroi, her butler, knocked on the door asking if everything was fine, he was an old man that has been a long time with Satsuki, he did not ran in instantly since he knows Lady Satsuki can defend herself just fine, he going in would actually make her be at a disadvantage.

“Should I... call for him Lady Satsuki?!”

“Everything is fine Soroi (Kai Tadasuki, why does your death haunts my dreams?)”

The butlers stood silent outside her room for a while, expecting an order from Satsuki. When he felt like it was too long he decided to break the silence himself.

“Milady, should I prepare a fresh blend?”

“Please do, also Soroi, what time is it?”

“It's almost 4 in the morning, Milady”

“Today is No-Late day… then I will be out in a moment”

“Understood, and Milady, are you sure you don’t want me to get Master Kai, you sounded quite disturbed when you woke up...”

“Thanks for your concern Soroi, but he is probably already waiting outside in the meeting room with Gamagoori, besides I don’t really want to see him right now...”

“I see, please pardon my insistence”- The butler bowed outside the room by force of habit -“if you allow me i will be leaving to make the tea”

“You can go, also tell them I don't want to be disturbed unless is something really important”

Soroi bowed once again and with an “Understood” he left for the meeting room where the elite four gather, Gamagoori had just left.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Man, do I really need to be here?” Kai complained to Gamagoori.

“Tadasuki! you better not slack off!”

“I won’t, jeez, do you ever know what a joke is,*Sigh* Let's skip the formalities and just start, I'll be waiting in the camera room when you get back”

“Very well, though I don’t like you skipping stuff, I’ll let it slide for now!”

“Yeah, after all we do have to put extra work to keep the Matoi girl in line… huh?” I heard something in the back of my mind, I thought someone called my name, but it was way too unclear.

“Something the matter?”

“Nah, get going, I’ll sound the siren myself, just to make it somewhat oficial”

“Then I'll be going, do remember our daily match, it's always a pleasure to see how Lady Satsuki enjoys them!”

“Of course Ira, now go, or you may not catch them”

Gamagoori was a little confused about who he was going to ‘catch,’ but he knew it had something to do with the way I “see” the future, predicting how some stuff will plan out. Honestly, I don’t really know how i do it, but it sure as shit has been useful a handful of times.

Just as the elevator doors shut and Gamagoori started to descend, Soroi came out of the door at the very back of the room, that door led to Satsuki’s personal chambers.

“Oh, Soroi, good day, is Lady Satsuki awake already?”

“Good day to you too sir, she is up, though she asked not to be disturbed today, do not worry, she will still make her appearance at the students that make it in time today”

“Something happened?”

“I believe she will tell you personally once she decides to come out”

“Very well, thanks Soroi, I'll be leaving for the camera room… (What happened?)”

“Have a good day sir”

“...Tell her… tell her she can talk to me if she wants to...” I reluctantly say to Soroi.

“Will do sir” he bowed and started heating water for Satsuki’s tea, shame I can’t taste anything, so i cannot really understand its appeal… no time for self pity, time to ‘work.’

The No-Late day was one of my favorite events we had, while I had to deal with that girl Ogure, I always ended up having a good time seeing how many of the students failed to reach the School in time. This time was even more enjoyable, that bitch Ogure was nowhere to be seen and the Matoi Girl was having a bad time with the traps while wearing her pjs instead of her Kamui. Funniest shit I’ve seen in a long ass while.

Later that day, Gamagoori showed up and asked where Ogure was. I told him I didn't know and he went away after examining the Honno City model in the camera room. There was something odd about it, but I couldn’t give half a shit, I was dying of laughter.

Luckily, I guess, Matoi was able to make it in time after crashing one of the thingies the two and upper stars students ride onto the school, seen crazier, although... I'm probably gonna be the one who’s gonna fill the paperwork for its repairs… whatever, I had fun, is worth it.

By the end of the day I was informed of the awful half-assed ‘plan’ Ogure had about dethroning Satsuki, good thing Gamagoori found out first, if it were to been me, then I don’t think anyone would have listen about her anytime soon, though I was probably gonna do the same he did, just to not get Satsuki angry when she finds out. 

“(Now that I think about ti, she was with Matoi, ugh… hopefully Ira doesn’t notices...damn I might have been trying too hard to get her out of my mind...)”

Satsuki gave her speech at the students that survived and quickly returned straight to her own chambers. I was a little annoyed that I could not see her more, but she’s the one calling the shots, so I can't really complain.

All five of us were chilling in the Meeting room, Satsuki still did not come out and Soroi politely stopped us from going in. Inumuta was typing on his computer, Sanageyama was pretending to be asleep with a magazine covering his face. Gamagoori watched the grounds with Nonon who was eating sweets.

“Hey, Mr. Lizard! Do me a favor and get me some more chips from the counter will ya?”

“Yeah, yeah, I still don’t know what you like bout’ this stuff Nonon”

“It’s tasty! Baka Tokage!” (Stupid Lizard)

“Now now, no need to be mean, you know he can’t taste any of them”- Inumuta slides into the conversation- “That said, have you tried them? maybe you’ll like the texture”

“Yeah, I tried them a lot back then, got tired of them really damn quick!”

“Interesting...”

“C’mon Mr. Lizard, I'm starving!” Clearly annoyed she yelled at me, when she is in a bad mood she gets all bossy... more than normal… but what is she mad about?

I throw her the bag of chips and she immediately lays down on her bean bag chair, looking at the empty grounds of Honnouji. Inumuta goes back to typing.

“What about you Sanageyama, you also don’t look too relaxed, is it bout’ the Matoi girl?”

“Oh ho, The Kanto Monkey got a thing for her?” Nonon’s tone changed dramatically and she turned her head to Sanageyama.

He ‘woke up’ taking the magazine off his face.

“I was doing real good not being annoyed by Jakuzure, y’know that Kai”

“So was I, now, spill the beans”

“Whaddya mean annoyed? Baka Saru!” (Stupid Monkey)

“I’m only interested in fighting her, I plan to ask Lady Satsuki for a chance soon...”

“Well that’s bold, you sure you wanna say that out loud just like that?”

“I don’t think you wanna stop me, Gamagoori is patient and he doesn’t seem too interested in our chat right now, Inumuta wants Kamui data so he won't go after her just like that”

“You’re right on that one” Inumuta spoke his mind while still typing.

“And Jakuzure is not even listening”

Nonon wasn’t even looking at us anymore, she was just grumbling between each chip she took to her mouth.

“I guess you're right, but what exactly tells you I won't stop you?”

“Will you?”

“Nah, it’ll be fun to watch how she kicks your ass, haha!”

“What an optimistic Vice-Prez we have, don’t we?”

Everyone else ignored him and he let out a sigh before going back to “sleep”

*Blip* *blip* a little alarm sounded and everyone looked at the source, Inumuta.

“Hm, What's this? I got reports of someone wreaking havoc in the two-stars district”

“Odd, don’t we have peoples for that?” Nonon, barely interested expressed herself while shoving more chips on her mouth.

“It seems that this time it's a fellow from outside Honno City, I got his face, right now I'm looking for data on him”

“(Golden… Menace… Fog...)” I heard clearly on my head, what could it mean?

“Got him, Uh?!”

“What is it Inumuta?” I got a little impatient.

“See for yourself”

“Daisuke... Kogane!”

Everyone jumped when they heard that name.

“Oy Oy! Ain’t that your name from long before we met you, Mr. Lizard?!”

I remember that name, I only became Kai Tadasuki during my last year in middle school… There were only a handful of faces who knew that name besides the ones in this room and once I saw the photo Inumuta had examined I was certain.

I remember the last time I had been this angry, it was when Matoi defeated Fukuroda and his blood landed on Satsuki’s face. I would have ended her right there and then given the order.

The face I usually had of a friendly superior to the Elite Four was replaced with the one that got me the seat right behind Satsuki. The face of a Predator, looking for his prey.

“Yes, yes it was Jakuzure… His real name is, Izanagi Kogane, my brother”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey How’s it going, i’m Dragon8641 writer of this fic, and i'd like to know how y'all liking it. Obviously from last chapter onwards the story will take heavy turn away from the anime and i wanna know what you think about some things as well as letting you know a couple more.
> 
> First: The style of writing, i’ve noticed that other fics use what i call “Subtitles” when the characters speak, i’ve “graduated” from using those a long time ago, so do not expect them in the future.
> 
> Second: The name, How did the “canon” name of the Protag sounds to yall? i had some others in mind, like Towa Tadasuke and Izami Towasaki, but i felt like Kai Tadasuki fit well enough without forcing the “Lizard” onto his name. Again, you can feel free to change his name when youre reading, but do tell me if you like it or not, or if you use another one. Fun fact: Kai’s first name comes from the character Kaiman from DoroheDoro, a Man with a Lizard head.
> 
> Third: Story, yes is still a fic about Satsuki X Reader/insert, but that will come in: small parts here and there and, obviously, a big one at the end. Also “Self Restraint” is a big part when i was making Kai, is it hitting the right spots?
> 
> Fourth: For clarification purposes, 
> 
> -“ This is for Dialogue, duh”   
> -“(This is for thoughts being part of the story)”  
> \- (This ones without the quotation marks are translations or comments if necessary for context)  
> \- And the “thoughts” outside of those ones are inner monologue, since so far ist been almost entirely on first person after all.   
> Hope it was no too confusing since i did not say what they were at the start, sorry for that.
> 
> Fifth: The japanese, how was it the Rōmaji used, like it? i feel like it gives it a different feeling, how about you? (I do apologize to anyone if something i write comes off as offensive when writing Rōmaji, i know jack for japanese, using tools like a eng-jap dictionary and Google Translate)
> 
> Sixth: Future, I’d love to read what do you think will happen in the future of this fic, now that Kai is getting his first arc. As well as what do you think of him as an actual Character.
> 
> Now i'm gonna write Kai Tadasuki’s canon look, i really wanted a drawing here, but i’m bad a drawing so… here i go: being about 5’8ft Kai uses a White vest and shirt below it together with a Bright Cyan tie, the suit jacket that he should be wearing is hangin on his shoulders like a cape (see Kanji Tatsumi’s or the One piece admiral guys), he has pair of silver armor Gauntlets and Boots that are totally part of the Goku uniform... also white pants whose interior is light blue. Hair color to taste and voila: Kai Tadasuki. Bright Cyan is yours truly’s fave color thank you very much for asking. (Now there is actually a image of him, see insta @dragon86411 :D)


	6. The Golden Runaway

“Izanagi? Like, the Creator God Izanagi?”

“Exactly”

“Well that doesn’t sound pretentious in the slightest” Nonon was playful, but instead she used sarcasm, she was more serious than before.

“Is he strong?” Sanageyama asked.

“If he’s around the two-star district and we were notified of him, he should be” Gamagoori answered Sanageyama.

“Haven’t seen him in a  **_long_ ** while, tell Lady Satsuki I'll make some noise soon...”

“I’ll get him first if you slack off Kai!” Sanageyama declared.

“Stay out of this Sanageyama, this one is mine” With a glare, Sanageyama’s face twisted as he had seen a monster, Nonon hid behind her hat and Inumuta was typing looking too closely at the screen.

“I’m gonna assume you know he let himself get the picture taken in order to lure you out” Inumuta told me, he was right of course.

“That’s why I'm going to fight him at Honnouji, with you all here if, and only if, it becomes a pain, I'm sure I'll have your back up”

“It's Only Natural!” Gamagoori said without stuttering.

“If I get a go at this asshole, then sure man!”

“I don’t really feel like it, but then again, I can use this to let some steam out...”

“Be sure to get me some mean data if you will Tadasuki”

“Don’t get your hopes up, I plan to end this quickly”

The sound of doors being swung open struck the room

A *Click* and a blazing light came from the back of the room.

“Isn’t this quite the opportunity? Tadasuki”

“Lady Satsuki” The elite four said as they bowed deeply, I only bowed slightly.

“It is as you say Lady Satsuki, I wish to see to this matter myself, with your permission of course”

“You don’t need it for this enemy, do as you please, just don’t lose!”- She slammed Bakuzan in the ground -”Listen up Elite four! You will aid Tadasuki on this mission as he sees fit!”

“Of Course Lady Satsuki!” Four voices were heard in unison.

“You have my undying gratitude Lady Satsuki” Now I bowed deeply.

“Start whenever you want, Tadasuki”

Thankfully it was the end of the day, I excused myself and left to my own chambers in the Honnouji tower. I wanted to meditate a bit before facing Izanagi again, after all, I was damn sure I killed him last time I saw him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tadasuki left the room, saying he was gonna get some rest.

“(Like c’mon! you can’t just get everyone all worked up and leave like that!)” Jakuzure pouted as she flopped on the couch. “Lady Satsuki… is there some other reason Kai wants to fight this guy so badly? I get that they were brothers and his family was kinda... not good, but is far too unusual to see him this angry...”

“It’s quite the long story Nonon, though I feel like you may want to listen to it anyway” Satsuki smiled both on the inside and outside.

“Yay! we get to know more bout’ Mr. Lizard!” Nonon sat facing Satsuki.

“I’m also interested in hearing that!” Sanageyama got excited.

“Please do not miss any details Lady Satsuki” Inumuta bowed on his seat while a blank document was on the screen of his laptop.

“He avoids most of the questions about his past… I’m curious as well Lady Satsuki” Everyone, even Gamagoori, got comfortable for Satsuki to start telling them about Kai Tadasuki’s past, from the time he was Daisuke Kogane.

“The Kogane Family were a ‘company’ that were into many shady businesses, Eventually they were all exposed by REVOCS and annihilated” After taking a sip of her tea, Satsuki started the history.

“Interesting...” Inumuta said under his breath that he would not interrupt Satsuki.

“The head of the Kogane household was an awful man, his name doesn't matter now, what matters is that he had one legitimate son, Izanagi. As well as many other illegitimate ones”

“That’s where Kai goes in... ah! my apologies Lady Satsuki...” Sanageyama realized he was being rude.

Satsuki ignored him and continued 

“One day a woman, probably a sex worker, joined the Kogane Household by declaring that a nameless kid was also the head’s son, that kid had about five years and still didn’t had a name, worthless pigs, all of them...”- She sounded really angry, yet with a sip of tea she calmed down and continued calmy once again -”That kid became Daisuke Kogane”

Everyone was speechless, but Satsuki did not stop there.

“When that happened the Kogane were still in their prime, yet Daisuke was treated like a slave, even if he had their family name, he was still not recognized as one of them, that is how he came to hate people when we first found him, remember?”

“True, his background was a little cloudy but by what we had it was clear that he loathed the students at his high school and people in general...”

“Indeed, but that is still a couple of years after he became Kai Tadasuki… Daisuke Kogane received a minimal amount of education compared to Izanagi and was raised by the gold digger who brought him into that mess”

“What horrible people” Nonon was really invested into the story.

“Until one day, a bit after the start of middle school… he was sent in as a pit fighter against other kids in an illegal underground arena” She stopped the story to get another cup of tea.

“!!!” Inumuta stopped typing, Gamagoori had a surprised face on him, Jakuzure almost choked on the sweets she was eating and Sanageyama was deadly serious and silent.

“Wait, that’s just awful!”

“Indeed it is Jakuzure, now...” Satsuki took another sip of the now full cup “He wasn’t supposed to be the one to fight, it was Izanagi. The mother of Daisuke was the one who send him in so she could win a bet”

“What a bitch!”

“Truly a bunch of pigs, also… the battles were to the death...”

Everyone stayed silent out of shock.

“The kids wore masks that showed whose house they belonged to, so his father could not tell it wasn’t Izanagi. Then the bell rang”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

A sand pit, a blade stuck at the very center. Two masked kids: one red, one blue. Neither older than 12 were facing each other.

*ding ding*

The Red masked one starts running at the blade and gets a jump start.

The Blue mask starts running a bit later after realizing there are no more weapons in the arena.

The blinding lights made it impossible to see any of the sick people who watched this as entertainment.

The Red mask got first to the blade, but it was buried too deep, so the blue mask catched up, landing a sucker punch on the red mask and sending him away from the blade.

The blade loosened up a little from their struggle, they both had one hand on the blade and the other punching away at their enemy.

Finally the blade came out of the ground, in Red’s hands, Blue was unable to get away in time, and received a very shallow cut through his chest from side to side. Little blood spurt out as the crowd cheered.

Blue grasped the wound, while it wasn’t deep it did hurt really bad.

“(Sand... Overhead Swing… Blood...)”

Now about eight feet apart, Red points the sword at Blue, as if he was declaring victory.

Blue does a “come on” sign at Red.

Red charges at Blue with the sword really overhead.

Blue gets his guard low, so he is not seen grabbing sand from the ground.

Six feet away.

Four. Blue throws the sand at Red’s face, Red’s grip on the sword visibly falters and Blue quickly follows up with a punch in the very center of the face. Red contorts from the hit, his body moving forward while his head goes backwards.

Red falls in the ground, the sword follows, falling really close to him, he is no longer moving.

*Ding ding* 

The match is over. 

“And the Winner is BLUE from Kogane House! Make sure to watch out when redeeming your bets!” they announced it like this, since it was usually just a representative of their house, not someone directly tied to them.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Huh? weren’t the battles to the death?” Jakuzure interrupted Satsuki, everyone else had this face of ‘Yeah!’ on them, as they agreed with Nonon.

“They were rigged of course, if it was Daisuke the one who fell that day he would have, undoubtedly, died”

“...I see...” The look on Nonon’s face became really gloomy as she just accepted that fact.

Satsuki took yet another sip of tea “Fights like this keep coming, since Daisuke’s mom was furious and made him fight to gain the money back… and he did, he had nowhere else to go after all...”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The familiar sight of the yellow sand, the blade stuck on the ground, the lights shining like the sun. Blue mask had now a ten win streak and the eleventh was just archived. Sadly, he had gotten used to this.

This fight in particular almost took the mask off Red, the blade struck the mask but stopped a bit after reaching the skin of Red’s cheek. Blue took the sword away, it had blood on its tip, Red was still breathing, he was not dead. That was the last match of the day.

Daisuke the Blue mask now returned to his school, where he spent his time alone, since his last name haunted the other students.

Then there’s this one guy, he was not too scared of Daisuke for unknown reasons, but every now and then tried to talk to Daisuke, failing every time since Daisuke hated people.

This one guy came to school with a gauze on his left cheek, covering stitches.

That’s when it hit Daisuke the hardest, he was not just in any normal school, it was a chicken coop. He had at some point fight some of the people in this very classroom at that arena, and those disappearances… could only mean one thing. Sure he hated people, but they all were in a similar spot as him.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“That's horrible!” Gamagoori could not help but interrupt Satsuki to express his feelings.

Satsuki took a last sip of her cup, handed it to Soroi and resumed her story without waiting.

“By the time Daisuke realized he had to leave, he was in his last year in middle school. It was on his 30th victory that he put his plan into motion”

Once she received another cup of tea from Soroi, Satsuki explained Daisuke’s plan to escape.

“He needed: Money, an Escape Route and a Weapon. He got the money by betting on himself when he fought, the Escape route was relatively easy, he just had to pretend to take a shortcut when going to school and disappear, then he got the weapon...”

“The knife in his room...” Sanageyama jumped in.

“Indeed… The plan started and everything went well, too well...”

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Walking through the back alleys, Daisuke alone walked like he usually does. He could not help anyone else at his school, he did not believe in heroes.

The skies darkened and the wind blew strong.

Daisuke is just a couple of turns away from freedom. Just one more left and he’ll be gone for good.

Izanagi Kogane, there he was, with a smug look on his face, playing with some baseball, waiting for Daisuke.

“(Jacket… Thunder… Steel...)”

“Hey! little brother!”

“Izanagi… what do you want?”

“Me? nothing, but what do YOU want? that’s the real question”

“Like you care”

“Indeed, but this time I do actually, I’ve been having the time of my life lately, since father thinks is myself the one that made all that money from him”

“He what?!”

“Oh, you didn’t know? You momma was sending you instead of me to that arena, I watched safely from the VIP area”

“You bunch of assholes” Daisuke was furious at Izanagi but he did not raise his voice.

“Don’t you worry, they won’t miss you” He stepped out of the way and eventually walked past Daisuke.

Daisuke just stood there, boiling from anger. The dark clouds were on top of them, a Thunder and rain started to fall on both of them. Izanagi was still not too far away.

Soaked and at the sound of another thunder, Daisuke took off his jacket from school and threw it at Izanagi while shouting his name.

“Izanagi!!!”

The jacket hit him right in the face, it being heavier from the water, Izanagi stumbled a little, then he felt something cold, far too cold for it to be the rain.

Steel, in his throat.

Daisuke took the knife out of Izanagi, folded it back after cleaning it a little with the Rain and made a run for it, leaving his jacked behind.

\------------------------------------------------------------------

“The rest we already know… he changed his name, entered high school and became the Kai Tadasuki we knew back then...” *click* sounded the empty cup being placed on the little plate.

“Oh wow!” Sanageyama was the most impressed.

“Now you all know who he was long before we found him. Do not get confused, Daisuke Kogane no longer exists inside our friend and ally Kai Tadasuki!”

“I never thought Mr. Lizard had killed someone… wait a minute! If this asshole Izanagi is dead, then how come he’s messing shit up at the districts?!”

“That’s exactly why he was so serious about it...”

“A Phantom of the past… it's almost... poetic” Sanageyama added.

“Didn’t take you for the romantic type, Baka Saru!” (Stupid Monkey)

“Now I get why he got all serious… man, he’s scary when he gets like that...” Sanageyama spoke his mind.

“I have to concur, he’s far more fun to hang out with when he’s not so serious and stuff” Nonon also poke her mind, this time though, Satsuki seemed a bit amused at her words.

“So it’s not fun to spend time with me, is that what you are saying, Jakuzure?” She was joking, but the way she said it made it sound like a threat.

“N-not at all Lady Satsuki...” Nonon was scared. Satsuki laughed gracefully at her reaction. Then Satsuki got up from her seat.

“That is all for now, you all are dismissed for today” The sun had already settled, so she sent her Elites away.

“Thank you Lady Satsuki!” They all bowed and left after a bit, Ending the day.


	7. Lost and Found in the Fog

Satsuki returned to her room and took Junketsu off, having it nailed inside some sort of frame. She put on her gown and sat on a chair in front of Junketsu. A Couple of days had passed since she told the Elite Four about Kai’s past, yet he barely came out of his room.

As the warmth of tea filled her mouth, she remembered the nightmare she had, the one where she struck down Kai, the most loyal, friendly and strongest of her subordinates.

“(Kai… Are you sure about this? bah! is no use, I’ll have to ask him directly if I want to be at peace!)”

\------------------------------------------------

There I was, sitting in the same chair for god knows how many days straight. I only went out after getting some info on that mohawk guy who tried to hunt down Matoi. To do the paperwork about all the shit they broke… damn now I’m pissed… Nonon! you really needed to leave those shitty clubs to fight them? they also made a mess I... guess it was to get data on this Mohawk guy…

The room was dark but I could tell where everything was, I have been her for a long time… The solitude of the room was broken by a tall man, he had a sword on his back and wore a white coat.

“You gain anything by sneaking, Sanageyama?”

“Nah, just thought I’ll let you know that I’ll ask Lady Satsuki permission to fight Matoi”

“Have fun Uzu”

“You’re just gonna send me off like that?” He put a comically sad face but returned to normal after a bit “I’m gonna beat her... and once I do: I want the rematch, Kai!”

“Someone is excited, but first you gotta make it back if you plan to make those declarations, Sanageyama” He has no chance, he is strong but being muscle head as well as that cocky attitude ain’t getting him nowhere. The Matoi girl is smarter than she seems, she will find out about his weakness.

“So much for encouragement!” He walked towards the door looking annoyed.

“Would you take encouragement from me?”

“Ha, good point! Later, Kai”

“See ya”

With that he left, leaving me to wonder what the fuck is Izanagi’s deal being alive. Not even half an hour later, someone knocks on my door, being quite loud it was obviously Nonon. 

“You can come in Jakuzure...”

“Creepy, how’d you know it was me, Mr. Lizard?” She said while opening the door.

“You don’t seem to interested in hiding your presence, Jakuzure”

“Fine, you win, but today I'm here cause I wanted to talk to you”

“What about?”

“Bout’ Satsuki-WHY IS SO GODDAMN DARK?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A LIZARD, NOT A DAMN BAT!”

“Flattering as always… you can turn on the lights if you want… but be sure to turn them off when you leave”

“You already assume I'm gonna be here just a little while, I swear is enough with just one Satsuki, I don’t really like having two”

“So you like the chill me more, huh? I’ll remember that. (Two Satsukies huh...)”

She blushed and started screaming “Don’t put words in my mouth,  Orokana Tokage!” (Dumb Lizard) She then calmed down.

“So what is it?”

“Satsuki… She seemed worried about you. Kai… just, don’t do anything she wouldn’t do...”

“That’s a very short list, you do realize that, no?”

“Exactly, you see... she really likes having you here, do everyone a favor and don’t screw up ruining that...”

“I won’t be going anywhere Nonon, also Inumuta, is quite disturbing having you in invisible...”

“Uwah, I’ve been discovered” A voice came from nowhere.

“(Empress… Alone… Happy...) You two can go now, I want to be alone some more time, thanks Nonon… you too Houka”

“A pleasure, Tadasuki/Mr. Lizard” They both bowed slightly and made their way outside the room. As soon as the door closed, I could hear Inumuta lecturing Nonon about her calling me Lizard when they bowed and Nonon was not having any of it even calling him dog a couple of times.

The sun was setting, I could tell since the slim figure of a beautiful woman stood at my doorstep.

“Satsuki, quite the pleasant surprise” I smiled at her unconsciously. She was wearing Junketsu.

“You seem disturbed, Kai… You’re not afraid, are you?”

“Just confused, but if I was afraid, I would have ran straight to where he was last seen. You know how I can get when I'm afraid...”

“And it's because of that that I must ask, must you really fight him?”

“I do... if he somehow survived and he is causing chaos in Honno City then it’s my duty as both the Vice-President of Honnouji Academy and as Kai Tadasuki to stop him… I do apologize in advance if I damage the school though”

“I see… then I’ll have you do the paperwork for the repairs yourself and see if that stops your hand” She giggled a bit, she is so cute when she is like that.

“Ugh… don’t do me like that...” I said in response to her little joke, though she can and probably will hold me to that...

“When you win, do me a favor and join me for a cup of tea, will you?”

“Absolutely!” She knows I can't taste it, so to me it just feels like hot water, yet if it's with her, I don't mind.

“Oh!” She let out a little scream as if she was surprised.

“What is it?”

“Nothing, I didn't quite expect you to agree so fast...”

“It’ll be the celebration, Nonon might want in as well though...”

“You’re not wrong there… So what's your plan?”

“Fight him face to face, the Matoi girl might butt in after I'm done… so I need her to stay away from the fight”

“You already have something in mind, don’t you?”

“Yes… Sanageyama will ask your permission to fight her… please let him”

“We will lose him… but you already knew that”

“Sorry Satsuki”

“Don’t. I want you all to stand tall” She walked in, closing the door “if his own weight brings him down, then so be it”

“You never cease to surprise me Satsuki...”

“Neither do you, Kai...”

“You’ll watch me fight, will you?”

“Of course I will Kai, I will also use all my strength should you need it”

“That makes me feel way too safe… Thanks Satsuki”

“You’re welcome, now I shall take my leave, there is stuff that needs to be taken care of. It’s been fun Kai” Satsuki smiled and dissipated all the fears I could ever have, then bowed a little and immediately started to walk to the door.

“Goodbye... Satsuki...” Then she stopped, I don't know why, but she seemed in shock “Is everything alright, Satsuki?”

“Yeah... don’t worry about it. Kai...”

“Yes?”

“Win...” She did not wait for my response and she was gone already.

The next day, a big cargo of Life Fibers was being delivered… I believe I can leave that to Shiro and Inumuta. I have something else to worry about after all: Satsuki will be away when I fight Izanagi. Dammit, I want her to see me kick his ass.

Later, the bait has been bitten, Matoi was on her way to Sanageyama’s dojo, the others were relatively close by, I don’t mind fighting him without them watching. I use a prerecorded message on the intercom that covers the entirety of Honno City.

“Daisuke Kogane, You have caused many a blunder to the citizens of Honno City, show yourself at Honnouji Academy!”

It may sound weird to bystanders, but it seems that it was good enough. From the top of Honnouji Tower, just a little behind Satsuki’s spot, I spot a figure between the dust clouds at the entrance.

Izanagi Kogane my dead brother.

Equipped with a spear, wore a black coat and a face mask covering his mouth.

“It's been far too long!”

He stood there silently

“Really wished to not ever see you again!”

The steps started to appear and I walked down them. Once at ground level. Izanagi points his spear at me.

“Give her back!” he yells at me.

“(Her? what do you mean?) I have nothing for you!”

His head unnaturally twisted and something appeared on his left hand. A Spike.

I didn’t give him time to do any tricks, I lunged forward aiming a punch at his face with all I had. But before I could hit him, a force sent me flying away from him. Smaller stars like the ones seen when Matoi or Satsuki transform appeared, but instead of white, they were dark.

“(Kamui… Blade… Thu-)” I could not make out the last word this time.

**_“Life Fibers Assimilation! Izanagi no Kamui!”_ ** (God Robe of Izanagi)

“WHAT?!” I guess I also need to take out the big guns, where the fuck did he got a Kamui?!  **_“Yottsu-boshi Goku Seifuku! Totsugeki no Sō” (Four-Star Goku Uniform! Assault Regalia)_ **

He looked really weird, the coat now covered his entire body but from the thigh down, which seemed to be bare, wore a full mask covering his entire face and the spear became double headed, it had a blade on end and a spike on the other.

I transformed my rapier into a two handed sword. waiting for Izanagi's move.

And when he did… I did not expect a move this sloppy, even Nonon’s slaps were more difficult to dodge than this. No! keep your guard up, it could be a bluff!

I dodged backwards, sword up, waiting for the shockwave of his attack. Nothing.

“Shiro! got anything on him?!” I whispered inside my armor to the one surveilling the battle.

“Nothing, he called his suit a Kamui, but I barely detected any Life Fibers on it… Maybe it was all a fluke?”

“Don't think so, he was capable of escaping the two stars residents, he should be somewhat stronger...”

Out of nowhere, a thick fog started to form around me.

“Shiro, are you seeing this?”

“I am, however, from the faraway camera it looks like there’s nothing there”

“An illusion then? bring it. Shiro, I need you to be my trusty eyes! Ready?” I put up my guard, ‘this is my 12 o clock’ was what I told Iori with this.

“Whenever you are!”

“GIVE HER BACK!” I felt the wind move.

“At your 5!”

I took a slash blindly at that spot, I struck something. When I finally catched up with what I saw, it was a big dark green armor. It disappeared soon after that.

“Sanageyama?!”

“It was a fake, I'm sure it was Izanagi when I spotted him!”

“What a lame trick...”

“From your 9!”

A pink laser came from that direction, I dodged it Jumped forward and took a slash at the small woman who fired it. This time it was Nonon’s clone.

“10 feet behind you!”

“Gotcha!”

I make my way through the fog to where Shiro told me he was.

“Kai?!”

The voice of a young woman, Omiko Hakodate, was there, in the ground, crying. That’s how she was the first time I met her. But she was wearing her two star uniform. Another Fake! My sword comes down and cleaves clone in half, breaking the ground.

I feel another presence, a real one, it doesn’t feel like Izanagi at all.

“Oy Oy! Vice-Prez! have you gone crazy or somethin’?”

“Ryuko Matoi, you’re the last person I wanna see right now!”

“You shadowboxin or what?” She said with this smug look on her face, I assume she was waiting for me to ‘realize’ that she was here because she had already beaten Sanageyama.

“Nothing that concerns you”

“Cut me some slack will ya, I just beat the annoying green sword wielding Monkey of yours! I think I'm on a roll!”

“Shiro, this one’s the real Matoi?”

“Yes, she came running out of the dojo after hearing someone was doing some noise outside”

“I see... then how about this Matoi! There’s some special kind of asshole hidden in this fog, help me find him and I’ll give you your chance!”

“How about I kick your ass right here and now?!  **_Life Fiber Synchronize! Kamui Senketsu!_ ** ”

“(What a... fierce woman, if she wasn’t wearing a Kamui I bet Uzu would’ve been all over you…) I’m nothing like the Monkey you just fought I'll warn you”

“Whatever, you all are just Kiryuin’s goons!”

“KAI, FROM ABOVE!”

A hunched figure tried to land a hit on me, what a weird weapon, it looks like.

“Scissors?!” I blocked the slash and pushed him away, it disappeared in the fog.

Matoi was frozen in her place, then she spoke after a bit.

“Is this some kind of fucking joke?! Answer me Vice-prez!”

“Tadasuki is enough! and I told you, there’s a douchebag hidden in here, I don’t know who that old man was, but they are all illusions!”

“I can’t go idle while some fucker is stealing my dad’s look, I’ll help you this time but you better be ready when i’m done with him!” So that was Isshin Matoi

“Shiro, tell the others we won’t need their backup right now!”

“Way ahead of you!”

“Back to back, Matoi!”

She makes a sound like she agrees and we stay there silently waiting for Izanagi's next attack.

“At your 2 Ka-!”

Before I could react, Matoi was already attacking there. “Whoa she’s fast! (Interesting...)”

“Get back here you sonuvabitch!”

“I guess it’s time I got serious as well...”

The sword disappears and the gauntlets start to shine, a second later, they become Big Claws. Just as the transformation ends, I feel someone running towards me from behind. I see Matoi charging at me. It could’ only mean one of two things, either another of the trashy illusions or…

I take a swing to the air in front of me. Five Waves of wind come forth and dissipate part of the illusory fog revealing him. I got a hit. Matoi was now standing guard up after seeing that attack.

“Yeah no kidding” She whispered to someone, it wasn’t to me. I could tell.

“Inumuta, see something interesting?” I assumed Inumuta was with Iori on the other side of the intercom.

“Yeah, actually, apparently those illusions are area based, meaning: if you get far enough you will stop seeing them”

“Fucking asshole, making me look like a madman...”

“Whoa there Mr. Lizard, language”

“Good to hear about you too Nonon, where’s Sanageyama”

“Licking his wounds and maybe packing up, but something tells me you already knew that”

“Oh, it’s moving again” Inumuta said unimpressed.

“There it comes!” Matoi warned me.

“Oy Matoi! Do me a favor!”

I discreetly pointed to the right while ‘examining my claws’ and positioned myself to run to the left.

“Gotcha! Ready Senketsu?!”

“(She talks to it, weird… hmm, could Junketsu do the same?)”

After an exchange of readied glances. We both ran towards Izanagi, one from each side, he was dazed. I took a slash sending some more wind waves, not directly at him, but to his side. He stumbled and I kicked Assault Regalia into overdrive so I could get closer to him as fast as possible.

I was right by his side, Matoi was still a little behind, just perfect. I punch him in the side and send him flying up.

**_“Katatachi Basami: Buttagiru Mōdo!” (Scissor Blade: Decapitation Mode!)_ **

I took the time to cool down the Assault Regalia and to get into position, i’m gonna punch that piece of shit out of our Fortress!

**_“Sen-i-Sōshitsu!” (Fiber Lost!)_ **

Just as predicted, a couple of really small fibers fused into Matoi’s Kamui and there he comes falling down, just where I want him. I clench my fist and my uniform anchors itself on the ground so as to not fly away from the force. I throw the punch.

**_“Hissatsu!” (Finishing Move!)_ **

I got him right in the face. Time slowed down. Like if a Lightning had landed where i was standing, a deafening Thunder was heard as the shockwave from the punch cleansed the fog along with a couple of clouds above Honnouji.

**_“Inazuma no Ato!” (After the lightning!)_ **

Not even half a second later, Izanagi’s body blasts off, never to be seen again. The ground around me moves like water creating something like a Tidal Wave made out of dirt. Matoi is also sent flying away. I have just a couple of minutes left on my uniform, that last move took a lot of energy.

“We’re not done here yet!” She yells while on the air.

With my claws still equipped I dash towards where she would have landed. Her face changes when she notices me waiting for her and gets her Scissor Blade up.

“(I’m all out of time huh?)” I was ready to punch her, but the uniform reverted to its original form and I relaxed. “It was fun Ryuko Matoi, I thank you”

*plap* she landed on her face since she was ready to fight, not to land.

“Hey, You gonna just quit?!” She yelled at me while all dirty and with a red face from the hit.

“I have things to do as the Vice-President” Obviously it was a lie, my uniform ran out of power… another Goku uniform that cannot keep up with me… yet if i increase the Stars, it damages me beyond belief… I still can’t believe that Satsuki manages to wear that thing… I need more power, but if I have it, it wants to destroy me… FUCK! I won't let Satsuki walk any path alone! With Izanami with me… I still have some time to figure out another way to gain power.

“Don’t give me that crap! You said you’ll give me a chance if i help you get rid of whoever the fuck that was!”

“And you can hold me to that, not today though, I have work to do so you and your friend Mankanshoku can enjoy your stay here”

“Bullshit!” She then started whispering “You also don’t give me that! We can totally take this guy on!... ugh… You do have a point...”

“What a lovely act you’re having there, Matoi!”

“Shut up!” She blushed for a second before going all serious again “Tadasuki was it? I’ll beat you and when I’m done with you, I'll get to fight the Queen Bee!”

“I’ll be looking forward to it, Ryuko Matoi!” She walked off and her Kamui returned to the Black and Red Sailor uniform. I also went home, towards Honno Tower.

It got dark and the clouds I had dispersed before were now storm clouds, I guess they didn’t like me using that move…

After getting back into the meeting room, I was relaxed once again, the joy in Nonon’s face was almost cute. Gamagoori was somewhere beating onlookers and Inumuta and Shiro were busy reviewing the data I got for them.

“It's really quiet without Sanageyama now, isn’t it?”

“You said it Mr. Lizard”

“How exactly did Sanageyama lose to Matoi?”

“She blinded him” Nonon was really bored watching the dark clouds in the horizon.

“Well that much was obvious… but-”

“I’ll be leaving now Mr.Lizard, if you don’t mind” She sounded a little angry.

“You’re quite slippery… is okay, You’re Dismissed” With that she went away and I was left alone inside the enormous and luxurious room.

A couple of hours passed, and I still hadn’t received the report from Inumuta and Shiro, but I could still wait. Now it was pouring outside. It’s been a while since it last rained this hard.

*plip plip*

“Oh Great! she’s back” Satsuki had returned, that alarm was meant to tell when a helicopter was getting close. Soroi gave me an umbrella and we went onto the helipad to wait for her.

That’s the stuff, the cold wind trying to make you fall, raindrops almost physically damaging you, I love it. But there is one ‘thing’ I like even more.

“How was your mother’s mood?” Soroi asked as they both walked from the helipad towards the insides.

“I explained to her why I took Junketsu. You needn't worry, Soroi” She noticed me “Kai, I trust everything went well”

“More like ‘manageable’ rather than ‘well’ but the results were the expected, I’ll fill you in in a bit”

We both looked at the shell of a man who was on his knees under the rain.

“We have no time for losers, Sanageyama!”

“I was overconfident in my eyesight, If you two give me another chance! I’ll defeat Matoi for certain this time!”

“Pathetic” She read my mind. I stayed silent during all of this “We don’t need subordinates who lack resolve”

“I have the resolve! Here is proof!” A lightning shone letting both of us see Sanageyama’s face.

“So you have” She was impressed at what she saw, needless to say, so was I.   
Also ,‘We’? She gives me too much power in this kind of situations… even if she is right...


	8. A Thousand Eyes

“What do you think, Tadasuki?”

“Impressed, I’d say you let him”

Sanageyama lowered his head until he hit the floor.

“It seems we share opinions, very well Sanageyama, you’ve earned your second chance”

“Thank you very much! To both of you! I promise I won’t fail again!”

“Of course you won’t… leave, I’ll inform Iori”

“Thanks!”

With that Sanageyama got up and walked through the door and to the elevator behind me.

“That’s gonna be fun, wouldn't you agree? Satsuki”

“Indeed, it appears that is what happens when you force someone to change”

“Either way, that something for tomorrow, now there is quite a couple of things i must tell you, but first let’s get somewhere more comfortable”

“Agreed, lead the way Kai”

I walked back into the tower and towards Satsuki’s room, there was already a pair of chairs in a small round table. We sat facing each other and waited for Soroi to finish the tea.

“Huh? where is Nonon?”

“She excused herself earlier, she seemed really annoyed by something...”

“Any idea what?”

“A couple… most of them tied to what happened when I fought Izanagi...”

“Interesting...”

From the meeting room, Soroi came in with a cart, it had two cups already full on it.

“Thanks Soroi”

“You’re welcome Master Kai”

I took a sip, it burned my tongue but I pretend to like it.

“Now let’s get to business” She put her cup down.

I told her about how surprisingly weak he was, the “Kamui” that he was wearing, his techniques and about when Matoi stepped in.

“Illusions and a different kind of Life Fibers...”

“That’s what I’d like to think, but Iori and Inumuta haven’t finished analyzing the data”

“And the damage to the school?”

“Minimal”

“Good, it seems what I said stopped you” She smiled while she took the cup back to her mouth.

“Yeah… I would have destroyed him before Matoi showed up, but I really didn’t want to receive you on a desk with a mountain of papers...”

“How very thoughtful, thanks”

“Anytime… also… no, it’s nothing...”

“Speak”

“My uniform overheated again, right when I was about to fight Matoi”

“Unfortunate, I’ll have Iori make it even sturdier next time”

“Thank you Satsuki… sorry if I’m too intrusive but, How does it feel to wear Junketsu?”

“...It definitely is different from normal clothes, it feels like skin, it even breathes” Junketsu’s eyes moved to look directly at me.

“Creepy… say, can it speak?”

“Huh?”

“Well, it seemed like Matoi could talk to her Kamui and it crossed my mind that maybe they can talk, being made entirely of life fibers and all that...”

“Interesting point, though I cannot say it does speak… maybe Matoi’s Kamui made her go insane”

“She definitely fights like someone who knows what they are doing, so I don’t think that’s the case… “

“Allow me to change the topic… I have told the Elite Four about your past… about Daisuke”

“Thank you very much!” I bowed while sitting, she looked surprised “They have the right to know” I’ve been meaning to tell them myself, but I never really found a chance.

“I see...” Satsuki stayed silent for a while, when I looked up, she seemed quite relieved. Curious.

“If I may Satsuki, back to the today’s real topic: Izanagi or whatever that was, will be back”

“I thought so too, but when?”

“I do not know, but we better increase the number of cameras, if he uses those tricks again, we’ll need them to fight or expose anyone he summons”

Someone knocked on the door.

“Lady Satsuki, Tadasuki, may I interrupt?” It was inumuta, he sounded tired.

“Come in Inumuta!” She ordered him from her seat.

“Excuse me, we have finished analyzing Izanagi’s battle data”

“Took you two long enough” I lectured him.

“I apologize, but you must see what we found out”

“Continue, Inumuta”

“At once” he placed a tablet on the table. It started showing images from the fight. “His battle tactics were kind of lame, but I found out that when Matoi stripped him, a small reading of energy left his body, of course that was before Tadasuki here sent him flying to the next hemisphere”

“Interesting... what else”

“I do believe that Iori told you that he did not detected any Life Fibers when you were fighting, he was kinda correct”

“Explain”

“Yes Lady Satsuki, you see, when analyzing for Life Fibers, we look for energy flowing through the clothes, however, there was no such energy inside those Life Fibers, we also took the liberty of calling them:  **Undead Fibers** , as it explains what they are with great ease”

“Undead? like, zombies?”

“More like Skeletons, moving on their own without the energy of the ‘Living’ counterparts and that they might be being controlled by something”

“Good work Inumuta!”

“Thank you very much Lady Satsuki” He bowed slightly.

“Anything else?”

“It would seem like Izanagi’s body when they fought was actually a corpse, reanimated by the Undead Fibers, we still have no clue as to why or how but we should expect another attack in the future, however since their modus operandi and association are still quite unknown we lack the data to predict their next move”

“Well ain’t that quite the discovery, a new enemy tries to hunt us from beyond the grave...” I said sarcastically.

“One last thing, there is still much we don’t know about the Undead Fibers, which is why we needed more time analyzing, but they are surprisingly frail. So mathematically speaking: this enemy should no be very strong but it may use many a trick to make it up for such weakness”

“Excellent, keep an eye out for anything else you can find and increase the surveillance in Honno City, you’re dismissed for today”

“Thank you Lady Satsuki!”

Inumuta left soon after, looking exhausted.

“You fought Izanagi yourself, do you believe these Undead Fibers are a threat?”

“No, yet I cannot shake off the feeling that there’s a big part that we’re missing...”

“Then we’ll find it, no one will stop us!”

“But they’re welcome to try!”

The serene night continued for a bit, I told her about the encounter I had with Nonon and Inumuta the day she visited me at my room, Also about the daily arm wrestle with Gamagoori, I was about to win, but the moment Mankanshoku showed up, I lost. Not that I was going at it seriously, but there's sure as shit something inside his big blonde head, other than Honnouji’s purpose. She seemed really happy about it all and of course, that made me also very happy.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**_Earlier that day._ **

“Don’t give me that crap! You said you’ll give me a chance if I help you get rid of whoever the fuck that was!”

“And you can hold me to that, not today though, I have work to do so you and your friend Mankanshoku can enjoy your stay here”

“Bullshit!” 

S: “Ryuko, we must retreat!”

“You also don’t give me that! We can totally take this guy on!... “

S: “I admit that we can survive that punch he gave that guy, but do you think we’ll be able to return anytime soon? Besides, something is really wrong here, didn’t you see those Life Fibers?”

“ugh… You do have a point...”

“What a lovely act you’re having there, Matoi!”

“Shut up!” She blushed for a second before going all serious again “Tadasuki was it? I’ll beat you and when i’m done with you, I'll get to fight the Queen Bee!”

“I’ll be looking forward to it, Ryuko Matoi!” She walked off and her Kamui returned to the Black and Red Sailor uniform while Tadasuki returned to Honno Tower.

Once Ryuko and Senketsu were on their way down to Mako’s house, Senketsu started to talk again.

S: “Ryuko”

“Whaddaya want?”

S: “You're angry”

“How can I not be! I beat the shit out of one of the Elite Four and just a couple of minutes later, I'm helping Kiryuin’s next in charge...”

S: “If you put it like that...”

“What, you wanna return and kick that guy’s ass?”

S: “No, but I do want to know more about both of them”

“Who?”

S: “Tadasuki the Vice-President and whoever that was he sent flying, though we might not be able to find the latter...”

“Yeah, I do not think he is just like the green sword guy I found no opening when he fought, it was kinda like when I fought Kiryuin… he also may know a thing or two about my father”

S: “Ryuko… did you feel something strange when we took that guy’s Life Fibers?”

“Uh? no, not really… did you?”

S: “I can tell they were not just any normal Life Fibers, but I don’t know what exactly was different...”

“Anyway, time for dinner!”

S: “Well that was quite the chance of the topic. OH! RYUKO!”

“Wh-wh-what is it?!” She got into a fighting stance.

S: “Can you iron me?”

“...”

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

I slept damn well that night, I didn't get up until it was time to start labors. I’m the second one to arrive at the meeting room, just after Satsuki. We were both waiting for today’s main event: Sanageyama vs Matoi Round 2.

Uzu, as well as Shiro, were on some type of ring in the middle of the courtyard, it had an incredible amount of spikes, it sure as shit emmits Sanageyama Energy.

The visitor side shows up, Ryuko Matoi.

“Didn’t know losers got a second chance, Guess you two got softer, Kiryuin, Tadasuki!” Did Satsuki just flinch? must've been my imagination.

“Let’s see if you can say that again after you’ve fought him, Ryuko Matoi!” She answered while I stayed silent…

“I’m gonna show you what happens when you force a man to change” He transformed  **_“Mitsuboshi Goku Seifuku: Tsurugi no Sō Aratame” (Three-star Goku Uniform: Blade Regalia Mk.II)_ **

“Then let’s get this over with quickly.  **_Jin'i Ittai Kamui Senketsu” (Life Fiber Synchronize Kamui Senketsu)_ **

Up next, Matoi used the same tactic she did the first time, guess she wasn’t that smart after all, to use the same trick against the same foe, a fool is always exposed when you do that.

“(Eyes… Endless… Hunger...)”

It didn’t take long to find out the fool, Matoi got her ass handed to her by Sanageyama’s sword. Then she realized what was happening, Sanageyama’s eyes were sewn shut.

“He’s realized his mistake and sacrificed everything to beat you! Keep that in mind Matoi!” Satsuki told Matoi and Sanageyama started walking towards her, she didn’t move, I assume she was scared. The barrage of strikes continued but stopped very briefly when Satsuki explained what the Shingantsu, The eyes of the mind were. I was impressed, I almost started to clap at both of their performances.

The barrage resumed, Matoi barely could block Sanageyama’s attacks, finally after what seemed like an endless combo of attacks at the sound of “Men, Dou, Kote” Matoi was on the ground and Uzu charged his Finishing Move. Then the Blade Regalia reverted to its original form, it overheated, just like mine does. Nice one Sanageyama, maybe you’ll be able to beat me if you keep that rhythm up.

Matoi took this opportunity to escape. Damn, this close to a victory. Then again, it’s a win if your enemy retreated.

Once It was all over, Sanageyama returned to Honno tower and Shiro fixed his uniform. I want what he’s having!

I was the last one to enter the tower, and I saw a shadow where Matoi was stuck just a couple minutes ago, as soon as I blinked it disappeared. They’re back… the Undead Fibers Users… I’m never gonna get used to that name...


	9. Nightmares and Dragons

Since I saw that Undead Fibers User I began going on far more guard turns, even joining Gamagoori a couple of times. Of course I told everyone to be alert, but for the first couple of days we found nothing.

The night of the fifth day after the search. I was alone in my room, I’ve finished everything that had to be done today as an excuse to stay awake, but other than the decreasing amount of clubs, there was nothing that really needed to be taken care of… well there was Matoi but she Isn’t really an enemy.

I took my Uniform off and lay down for a while, eventually falling asleep out of boredom instead of out of tiredness.

A completely white canvas came into view, I could not see anything else for a couple of minutes. When I finally got accustomed to the light, I saw there was something on the endlessly white terrain. A Lock, a big one, its size probably rivaled Honnouji academy. A myriad of chains blocked the keyhole of the big lock.

“Weird...”

I felt something behind me. I turned around quickly to see what it was, nothing, it disappeared. Someone whispered in my ear.

“Let… Me… Out...”

I stood there paralyzed, I could not move. Eventually a hand crept onto my right shoulder. Red, Skeletal and with razor sharp fingers, it crawled down my arm. When it covered my entire arm, I heard the rattling of chains behind me followed by the sound of them breaking.

I could now move with the skeletal hand being worn as if it was a gauntlet. I turned around to see who was whispering, if anyone.

A Hollow red skull, with hair that's even longer than Satsuki’s, was floating in the air. it had a body but I could not make it out, it was all clouded in a crimson mist.

I moved my arm to try and touch it, it mimicked my movements.

I woke up, in cold sweat and gasping for air. Guess it's time to work…

Morning of the sixth day searching for the new foe. Everyone gathered at the meeting room, there was far too little energy here.

“What’s this, did I miss a party or something last night?!”

“Not in the mood, Baka Tokage” (Stupid Lizard)

Inumuta had definitely not slept, his eye bags were far too big. Gamagoori didn’t even look at me. Sanageyama was out doing rounds and Nonon and Satsuki had an extremely serious face. What in fresh hell happened?

“Tadasuki”

“Lady Satsuki” I stood straight the moment she mentioned my name.

“Go look for Sanageyama, he needs your help”

“At once Lady Satsuki”

I left the meeting room, I'll start by looking at his dojo, he usually stops there for a while. Maybe he’ll tell me why they all look so tired.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Once Tadsuki was visible down at the courtyard, everyone in the meeting room now faced Satsuki. Sanageyama and Shiro came out of Satsuki’s room.

“Now that he is gone I believe we can now discuss… the recent event”

“Yes Lady Satsuki!” Everyone answered and bowed.

“Let’s start by stating the obvious: everyone in this room had some sort of nightmare involving Kai Tadasuki, correct?”

“Yes!”

“The earliest case of these nightmares is dated to the same night as Sanageyama’s redemption, followed by Jakuzure the night after, then Inumuta, Shiro the next day, Gamagoori and finally mine just last night”

“One every night, that is the pattern” Inumuta pointed out.

“If I may Lady Satsuki” Gamagoori spoke.

“What is it?”

“Why is it we must deceive Tadasuki for this meeting to take place?”

“He is the constant on all the nightmares, if the thing making us have these nightmares is somehow literally tied to him, then it's only logical to send him away. For the record I do still trust him, he cannot be the one behind the nightmares, but he is somehow unwillingly involved”

“I see… but I believe we can all agree that this is also part of the new enemy’s attack, thus I must insist that we should tell him”

“In due time Gamagoori, for now this meeting is to try and find any other constants in the nightmares and see if we can find its roots”

“Understood, then who shall begin?”

“If we’re gonna go in order from first to last, then I’ll start” Sanageyama proposed and everyone agreed.

\-----------------------------

Sanageyama had just been granted a second chance and his new goku uniform was being made, all that was left was to challenge Matoi the day after and win. There’s no telling what will happen to him if he fails. He knows that Satsuki will make sure he never forgets and he knows not how Kai will react if he does fail a second time.

“Well, I’m not losing, so there’s no reason to worry about that at all” he talked to himself and fell asleep in record time, his eyes being shut relaxed him more than expected.

He dreamed of a big open field, like the one he fought Satsuki for the first time back in middle school. He was standing there in his Goku Uniform watching a battle, Matoi vs… Kai.

He blinked… the battle was over.

“(When did you get this strong?! Kai!)”

“You’re just weak Sanageyama!” like if what Sanageyama thought was said out loud, Kai answered.

“BULLSHIT!!” he unsheathed his bamboo sword. Neither of them transformed their Goku Uniforms.

He took a swing while putting his Tengansu in overdrive. He missed and struck a red fog instead.

“Too slow! Sanageyama!” Kai was already behind him more than prepared to punch Sanageyama. He could not block it in time.  **_“Inazuma no Ato”_ ** (After the lightning)

“I WON’T LOSE!” He woke up screaming that, now more than ever he was determined to beat his opponent.

\------------------------------------------------------

“Yep, that’s definitely something you’ll fear”

“Shut up and tell yours Jakuzure”

“The monkey is mad today, well then here I go”

\------------------------------

The night of the fight against Izanagi, Nonon decide to leave for today, she wanted to stay up and wait for Satsuki, but she was mad at Mr. Lizard for a couple of things: mainly that he cleaved her clone in half without stuttering even a bit, so she left to not bring down the mood of the meeting, specially after Sanageyama’s defeat.

She fell asleep surprisingly fast for her mood.

The courtyard of Honnouji Academy, quiet as a graveyard.

She takes a look around and in her clothes, she is wearing Matoi’s Kamui, Senketsu.

“What's with this slutty outfit?!!!”

“Nonon Jakuzure!” Could be heard from the top of Honno Tower as a bright red light blinded her. She knows this voice really well, Tadasuki.

“Oy! Sr. Lizard! What’s the meaning of this?!”

“You requested a challenge against my fiance so you could take her place, remember?”

“Your what?! Bullshit!”

“Doesn’t matter, get down there and destroy her, will you, Satsuki” Tadasuki grabbed Satsuki’s face like she was a doll.

“At once Master Kai” Nonon stopped her yelling and tried to soak in what she was seeing. Satsuki served Kai, she was wearing the bitch garment the New Girl Matoi uses and she was about to fight Satsuki for Kai…

“(This has to be some fucked up dream…)” her confused face changed for a scared one as Satsuki walked down the steps and with each one a cloud of red dust grew bigger and bigger. “Yeah, I ain’t having any of this!”

Nonon forced herself to wake up, and succeeded. She was tired and even more annoyed at Tadasuki for it.

“Mr. Lizard you're gonna pay for that” She mumbled on her way to the meeting room.

\---------------------------------

“Quite interesting I must say, Jakuzure”

“Please don’t, Lady Satsuki...”

“You can force yourself to wake up, an interesting skill” Inumuta remarked and then started his own story.

\----------------------------------

Inumuta flopped into bed and fell asleep instantly, he was tired after many days of analyzing the Undead Fibers and having found nothing.

“I have barely anything to work with, not live specimen, no suspect and no idea how they truly work”

Inumuta had this dream frequently when he couldn't figure out something. He dreamed about being inside a giant computer that holds answers to everything if you know how to search.

This time was not so different, but he ran into a problem. A virus, he had a nightmare about them a lot. But this one was quite strange, It had the form of a man made out of a Black and Red fog.

He launched an attack, but it was instantly reflected by its right arm and hit Inumuta, erasing parts of his body and of the endless machine he dreamt in.

He started to run while attacking the virus. A couple of those attacks did hit the virus but deal no damage, actually, it looked like it was getting less foggy the more attacks it ate.

The face of the attacker virus became clearly visible. Kai Tadasuki was the virus in Inumuta’s dream.

Tadasuki punched Inumuta in the face, deleting it.

Inumuta woke up in the middle of the night, and did not go back to sleep.

\-----------------------------------

“That explains why you almost fell asleep when I was giving you the details on the new Goku Uniforms” Iori reminded him.

“I do apologize for that”

“Anyway I’m next”

\-------------------------------------

Iori was in his room, working on a little extra than normal, since Kai’s Uniform had overheated and he tried to find a way to make it last longer.

It was about time he went to sleep, tomorrow was going to be a busy day and he could not slack.

As soon he felt himself fall asleep, a loud noise woke him up. Something was trying to get into his room, first it knocked the door like anyone would, then it became louder, it started to punch the door. A red steam came from under the door.

The sound of a steel being scratched tormented Iori and did not stop for a while. Not even after five big slashes tore apart some of the metal door. A pair of mad eyes examined Iori from the outside. Why was he not moving?

He took a look around his clothes, he was sewn into the bed… with life fibers.

The slashes in the door became bigger and some parts fell down. He could now see the one who was trying to break into his room. Kai Tadasuki, In the couple of years Kai had served Satsuki they've managed to become good friends, but why was he slashing away at his room?

“KAI! STOP!”

Silence

“K...Kai...?”

From the blackness outside his room, Kai finally destroyed the door and ran fully armored into Iori.

Then he woke up, or was woken up rather, one of the Sewing clubs members got worried and went in to check on him.

\----------------------------------------

“Curious, that gets rid of the constant that Tadasuki initiated combat in retaliation...”

“What’s left Inumuta?”

“Not much, combat of some level is involved, but barely in Jakuzure and Iori’s case, there is also the Red mist. Oh right, Matoi is also out of the constants...”

“We’re getting nowhere, let’s continue and figure out from there”

“Of course Lady Satsuki” Gamagoori got up, bowed and started.

\------------------

The outskirts of Honno City, Gamagori is taking on the sights, or so he thought. He was strapped to a chair on top of a boat, him alone, no one else was near.

From far away he spotted a figure of a man, he knew this man, they’ve become good friends under the rule of their mistress Satsuki Kiryuin, that man was Kai Tadasuki.

“TADASUKI!” he yelled at him but got no answers.

The ground quakes and the water stirs. Honno City is sinking. Tadasuki simply stays still. Devastated, Ira tries to break from what ties him to the boat, no response from his body.

Finally Tadasuki moves, but not towards Honno City, away from it, he walks slowly away on the highway leading to land. There is something on his hands, a big object, like a basketball, but uneven. He threw it on the water and kept walking.

Looking at how Honno city slowly sinks, drives Gamagoori to tears.

*thud*

Something hit the boat, Ira looked over to what it was… someone was in the water, a girl with brown short hair, she did not move. His mind immediately went for the worst scenario.

“MANKANSHOKU?!”

His scream woke him up as well as many neighbours.

“(So it was all a Nightmare...)”

\--------------

“Scary... Mankanshoku? Ain’t her the slacker who is always with Matoi? What’s her deal in your nightmare?”

“Not so sure myself...”

“Spill the beans big guy”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about...” Gamagoori looked serious, far too serious. Nonon decided to let it slide for now, the others weren’t exactly interested right now.

“Enough, it's time for my story...” Satsuki’s cup trembled a little, only the Shingantsu of Sanageyama and Nonon catched it even if it was for a moment. They kept quiet, something that can scare Satsuki is not to be taken lightly.

\--------------------------------

Satsuki had just taken off Junketsu for today, placed Bakuzan by her bed just in case, put on her nightgown and went to sleep. Today was yet another day of searching for the new enemy, yet nothing was found. It was worrisome.

Satsuki was deeply asleep, this enemy could not beat Tadasuki, thus it could not beat her.

Satsuki sat on a bench inside a brightly lit chapel. One by one the other members of the Elite Four, Iori and many others start to appear. Everyone she knew was there, everyone but a certain someone. Kai.

Just as she wondered where he was, he appeared. Wearing a black suit, and unlike his normal attire, it was being worn properly this time. There was something wrong about his red tie and right glove, but she could not make out what. He was standing at the altar, looking towards the doors.

Bells started to sound, the doors of the chapel swung open and a tall woman dressed completely in white walked down towards the altar, her veil did not let anyone see her face.

*thump thump*

Satsuki’s heart started to beat faster and faster with each step the woman took. When the woman in white reached the altar her heartbeat deafened the bells. Kai extended his hand to the woman until she got in place in front of him, then he lifted her veil.

Satsuki could not believe what she was seeing. Light painted the chapel in rainbow colors. The face of the woman was now visible, her ashen hair and pale skin belonged to only one person. Ragyo Kiryuin.

She wanted to scream, but nothing came out. She wanted to run at Kai, but her legs did not answer. She wanted to put an end to whatever was happening, but she just stood there, watching. A Red dust devil dragged her out and away from the chapel, she tried to grab something but it was useless.

She jumped from her bed, grabbing Bakuzan and taking a swing with it still sheathed. Slowly recovering from what she saw, she breathed heavily and heard a voice coming from outside her room.

“Lady Satsuki, it’s time to start the day” It was Soroi.

She relaxed herself before answering “I’ll be ready in a bit, thanks Soroi”

“Very well Lady Satsuki”

She did not hear that because she was focused on Bakuzan, it was trembling, no, it was her own hand. When was the last time something scared her so badly she trembled? She could not recall. But it was a new day at Honnouji academy, she should get ready. Steeling herself she managed to calm down and stop the trembling.

\-----------------

The room was completely silent, no one knew what to say, not even Satsuki who did not take a sip of tea during the entire story.

Before anyone could say anything, a loud *Boom* was heard down at the grounds.

Tadasuki came out flying from the inside of the school, regained his balance and transformed. Ryuko Matoi ran towards him from the place he was shot out of.


	10. Sandstorm of Emotions

Morning of the sixth day searching for the new foe. Everyone gathered at the meeting room, there was far too little energy here.

“What’s this, did i miss a party or something last night?!”

“Not in the mood, Baka Tokage” (Stupid Lizard)

Inumuta had definitely not slept, his eye bags were far too big. Gamagoori didn’t even looked at me. Sanageyama was out doing rounds and Nonon and Satsuki had an extremely serious face. What in fresh hell happened?

“Tadasuki!”

“Yes! Lady Satsuki!”

“Go look for Sanageyama, he needs your help”

“At once Lady Satsuki”

I left the meeting room, I'll start by looking at his dojo, he usually stops there for a while. Maybe he’ll tell me why they all look so tired.

I took the elevator down to the courtyard and made my way to Sanageyamas dojo. The few students I encountered on my way bowed and ran away as soon as I passed them, the usual.

The students do not fear me as much as they fear Satsuki, is mostly the layback attitude I show when I‘m not serious that got me that fame, Satsuki seems to be ok with it. Probably many students have stayed because of that.

I reached the dojo and asked for Sanageyama, he’s not here. The One star students told me he was at the Sewing club, that’s when they last saw him.

“(It’s a damn long way there… damnit… orders are orders)”

On my way all to the opposite side of the school through the halls I begin to think what could be Satsuki is really planning involving the Matoi girl on all this.

“(So, if i follow my gut… Is she purging the Two-star students just like she does with the No-stars? That’s more like it! but why Matoi? Oh! Right! Her Senketsu absorbed the Life Fiber out of Fukuroda and Omiko’s goku uniforms… guess she wants to make her strong so she can recruit her… uh… that makes more sense than what I’d like to admit… The only missing part would be what she would do to make Matoi Join us… then again I don’t think Matoi is dumb enough to not fight Ragyo with us once we strike)”

I feel something aching in my right forearm. It has to be Izanami.

“Huh?” When I returned from my deep thinking I saw that Matoi has been trying to get my attention for a while now. “Oh, Matoi Ryuko...”

“Don’t you ‘Oh’ me you bastard! I’m here to fight!”

“Not now, I’m busy”

“Bullshit! You’re not gonna get away this time! Let’s Go! Life Fiber Synchronize, Kamui Senketsu!”

*sigh* “You never stop do ya?”

“Well if you just happen to know who killed my father I may let you walk away!”

“I won’t tell you even if I knew”

“Motherfucker!” She pointed her scissor blade to me.

“(Well I didn't really wanted to fight her and I cannot really fake a defeat… this is gonna be a tough one...)”

Someone whispered in my ear “Blade… Enemy… Out...” it was far too creppy to ignore, I turned around to see who it was, no one…

I felt something hit my side from behind. Through a wall, I went flying to the courtyard, but managed to regain my balance. Before I could transform I saw someone was by my side, it wasn’t Matoi, the hair was far too long but It disappeared a moment after.

“Yottsu-boshi Goku Seifuku! Totsugeki no Sō” (Four-Star Goku Uniform! Assault Regalia)

Matoi followed short after, flying towards me.

“Don’t you ignore me you sonuvabitch!”

Her Scissor Blade and my Longsword: “Strength” clashed and a shockwave shook the entire school, during our struggle a dark red cloud formed at an abnormal speed on top of the academy.

“Oy!Oy! Vice-prez, thought you were tougher than this!”

“Don’t push your luck! MATOI!” I won the clash, jumped back and immediately followed with a lunge with “Fang“, Matoi’s body moved like it was being dragged out of the way of my sword.

“Shit he’s fast!”

“Not enough! Matoi!” In the middle of the lunge I swapped to the one hand sword and took a slash. She managed to block it.

“Looks like you’re really nothing like that green guy...”

“I literally told you that”

“Thought it was all tall tales!”

I really want to beat the shit out of her, but I mustn't, Satsuki needs her.

We began exchanging slashes, the red cloud above us got lower with each clash. Curious, Satsuki hasn’t come out to stop me…

The cloud is now surrounding us, we jump away from each other instinctively.

“This your doin Tadasuki?!”

“I don’t use tricks this shitty! Matoi!”

The cloud soon became a sandstorm with crimson lightning. I could no longer feel Matoi’s presence, and I doubt she could feel mine either.

“Kai! I’m here for the rematch!”

“Sanageyama?!” no, it wasn’t him, this one had far too many openings on his posture, his eyes were still open and there was something else, his eyes were bright red.

One by one the other Elite Four appeared.

“You’re NOT taking her away. Mr Lizard” Nonon’s clone, I think she’s talking about Satsuki.

“Precious data should not be wasted, Tadasuki” Inumuta’s clone. He looked really angry.

“Let me repay you for that...” Shiro as well?

“WHY TADASUKI?! WHY?!” Gamagoori…

“I WON’T LET YOU GO ANYWHERE!!!” She wasn’t wearing Junketsu.

“Satsuki?!!!” I was stunned for a moment, then recovered to see another figure just behind Satsuki. “Who are you?!”

“My name is Scylla and these are the feelings your friends have towards you”

“And here I thought you all were gonna use better tricks the second time”

“I have to agree, Izanagi was a moron, but these copies, I crafted them-”

“Then you are the one behind it all!”

“Let me finish, First of all: no I’m not. Second: I crafted these clones, but it was you the one who woke them up”

“And you’re telling me this because...?”

“You have something I want back and you’re not getting out of here with it”

“So it doesn't matter since i’m gonna die? bring it then!” Sanageyama’s clone closed the distance far too fast for me to block. “(Blade...)”

“How does it feel? Kai!”

“I’ve had stronger for breakfast, asshole!” A pink baton almost pierced my back, barely managed to dodge it.

“Mister Lizard gotten faster i see”

“And the little snake bolder!”

A barrage of punches tried to overwhelm me, but failed.

“Not bad Tadasuki!”

“I’m flattered!” Spiked whips hit right in front of where I landed.

“WHY?!”

“I you told me what I did, then I may answer you”

“You are not going anywhere Kai… You will stay here, forever...”

“S-Satsuki?! (Enemy...)” I am surrounded, Shiro did not attack, but he was probably part of a backup plan.

“Give up, you cannot win against them!”

The world became all white.

The same as the dream I just had, the lock and the skeleton were there.

“Out...” it said

I looked up at the lock, and more chains broke and fell from it. Seconds later I'm back in the real world.

“Ha! These counterfeit ain’t nothing like the real deal! Let me show you why the Dragon of Honnouji earned his place!” 

I equipped my claws, but they weren’t going to be enough.

**_“Izanami no Haaku!” (GRASP OF IZANAMI!)_ **

The Silver blade coated in red lightning bursts through the gauntlet. But it broke, in five perfectly identical parts. They each attached to my one finger.

“YES, SHE’S HERE!!!” Scylla yelled and Sanageyama’s clone charged at me just as fast as before.

But this time, I was faster.

A slash of wind pierces the fake Sanageyama and almost hits all the others. Moments later the clone disappears like red ash. The sandstorm dwindled a little.

“Not so cocky now, are we?!”

The rest of the Elite Four ran towards me, Inumuta was the first to fall, he is the weakest in combat, then I buried Nonon’s in the ground and became ash soon after.

Gamagoori blocked a couple of slashes with his whips. But I got him and eventually it disappeared with a “why?!”

“WHO’S NEXT?!!!”

“I believe it’s me, Kai”

“Come on then! A Satsuki’s fake has no place in Honnouji!”

We both walked towards each other, the winds getting stronger and stronger the closer we were.

I took a side swipe, as expected, she blocked it. but the wind slashes continued their travel and ended Iori’s clone. I heard a faint scream and the sound of rock being destroyed, I broke part of the school. But I didn’t pay attention to any of it. I was focused on the Satsuki clone in front of me.

Scylla was escaping, I cannot let her.

I punch satsuki with my other hand and try to catch Scylla, Satsuki grabs my arm and drags me towards her. With my punch prepared to hit her but I was lost to what happened in reality.

She kissed me. She dropped her Bakuzan and kissed me.

What’s happening?! No! Must keep it together!

“(Out...)”

She hugged me close to her. She was not letting go and I almost didn’t want to either. But the moment I saw her blazing red eyes I snapped out of it.

“NO!” and I pierced her stomach with the Izanami. She fell to her knees. No time to waste, I must pursue Scylla.

The sandstorm had almost passed. I was closing in on Scylla, but something possessed me and I jumped towards her, catching her and almost swiping her head clean of her body. But I stopped myself just before that.

She looked like a normal girl, she was crying a river with her eyes closed, she was scared shitless. I guess she didn’t think her plan would go that badly… doesn’t matter, she is our enemy and she knows stuff, I’ll take her back to interrogate.

“Make the sandstorm go away!”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Good girl, you’ll be coming with me, no tricks this time, or at least use good ones.”

She stayed silent.

*click* Satsuki light shone upon the remnants of dust on the courtyard.

“Tadasuki! Good work capturing this enemy! Return here at once!”

“So much for the first hours of the day...” I said under my breath.

“P-p-please don’t kill me...”

“Answer some questions and we’ll let you leave”

Matoi was nowhere to be seen, she escaped I think… yet another fight against her was interrupted. She’s definitely gonna be back for yet another round… I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it...


	11. Dunes of Questions

After Satsuki ended her story, no one knew what to say, they were all stunned by her nightmare. Even herself.

The silence was broken by Tadasuki who had just been sent flying into the courtyard, Ryuko Matoi pursued him.

“Tadasuki?! What is he doing?!”

“I do not know Lady Satsuki, but I don't think that their fight is our biggest problem right now” Inumuta pointed towards the red cloud that formed in the skies, it went lower and lower at the sound of the combatants’ clashes.

“Could this be?” Sanageyama implied that this is the work of the Undead Fiber Users.

“I believe so, you all must help Tadasuki to end this foe as soon as possible!”

“Understood Lady Satsuki!”

“Wait a minute Lady Satsuki!” Inumuta said immediately afterwards. “We have the visuals from Tadasuki’s uniform”

What they say though the screen (minus Sanageyama) left them dumbfounded, copies of them, referencing the nightmares they had and what they felt the moment they woke up.

“You all must stay here!”

“But you just said-”

“Listen closely, if we go down there there is a high possibility of being attacked by Tadasuki and I honestly think only three of us are capable of surviving his attacks”

“The Monkey, The Toad and yourself...”

“Correct, thus if the situation grows worse, only then we will all three of us go in and help him”

“WHOA!”

“What is it, Inumuta?!”

“I’ve never seen him pull moves like those… is quite interesting… and difficult to track from here”

“He seems to be doing fine, but he’ll need backu-” Gamagoori was interrupted.

**_“Izanami no Haaku!” (GRASP OF IZANAMI!)_ **

“WHAT?!”

“Iori! isn't that the blade he was developing with you?” Satsuki asked.

“It is! but how?! I’m sure it destroyed itself about two months ago!”

“How come he has it?!”

“I don’t know! I never let anyone else into the vault and he cannot get in without me!”

“WHOA THERE!”

“Now what Inumuta?!”

“He just wiped out everyone but Lady Satsuki’s clone, I’ll put it on the big screen”

“You’re kidding!” Sanageyama checked with his Shingantsu. Those clones were no more. “(What have you become? Kai...)”

“A Satsuki knock off cannot be as strong as the rea-wha-wha-wha-wha-wha-what!” Nonon was in shock after witnessing the Satsuki clone kiss Kai. Safe to say, everyone else was also stunned.

“What is it?!” Sanageyama yelled since he could not see the screen. 

“Oh my...” Iori said under his breath.

Then they saw how Tadasuki pierced her with the Izanami. They were all, including Satsuki, mesmerized looking at the screen. Finally Satsuki spoke.

“Where’s Matoi?”

“Oh. Yes! I have visuals of her outside the school, OH GOOD! Tadasuki captured the enemy!” Inumuta returned from the trance and answered.

“Perfect…” Everyone (but sanageyama) were still looking at the screen even though the scenes were nowhere near what caused them to look at it in the first place. “Sanageyama, go help him get the prisoner, I’ll go throw the smoke screen...”

“Yes Lady Satsuki!”

*click* Satsuki light shone upon the remnants of dust on the courtyard.

“Tadasuki! Good work capturing this enemy! Return here at once!”

\---------------------------

“Looks like you’re really nothing like that green guy...”

“I literally told you that”

“Thought it was all tall tales!”

S: “Ryuko! Careful with the cloud!”

The red cloud surrounded both of them, they took distance away from each other instinctively.

“This your doin Tadasuki?!”

“I don’t use tricks this shitty! Matoi!”

S: “I think we need! To escape again!” They both lost track of Tadasuki in the storm.

“To hell with that! When did you became such a coward!”

S: “Is not that Ryuko. This sand. Is making me. go. slee-”

Senketsu returned to his original form. Ryuko started running as fast as she could towards the outside of the sandstorm while trying to wake Senketsu up.

She got out of the storm but also outside of the academy.

“Oy! Senketsu! You okay?!”

S: “Ah! Ryuko! weren’t you gonna beat Tadasuki” Said all sleepy.

“Well someone fell asleep while I was in the middle of that”

S: “What?! sorry...”

“Is okay, but you have any idea what the hell is all that- wha!!!” She got startled since Tadasuki just pinned down a crying girl and almost swiped her head clean off.

She was about to step in, but.

“Make the sandstorm go away!”

“Yes! Yes!”

“(She was the one behind the storm?)”

S: RYUKO!

“What now?!” she whispered.

S: “Those claws! Do not let them touch me! Please don’t let them!”

“Good girl, you’ll be coming with me, no tricks this time, or at least use good ones” The girl stayed silent.

*click* Satsuki light shone upon the remnants of dust on the courtyard.

“Tadasuki! Good work capturing this enemy! Return here at once!”

“So much for the first hours of the day...” he said under his breath.

“P-p-please don’t kill me...”

“Answer some questions and we’ll let you leave”

“I think we’re knee deep into some shit with the Vice-Prez...”

S: “Phew, that blade scared me”

“Yeah I felt that, what is it? Is it that different from Kiryuin’s?”

S: “Call it instinct… but if that thing touches me… I know i'll go to sleep, permanently”

“You’ll die?!”

S: “Basically, but it’s really difficult to explain...”

“I don’t get ya but if that thing is that powerful then we’ll need to get stronger before we fight him again”

S: “...”

“We’re doing this! Dammit!”

S: “Then I demand an ironing every night until then!”

“Ugh! fine!”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanageyama took Scylla to the interrogation cell while I went to the meeting room with everyone else. Upon arriving, the others were staring at the empty window.

“Sooo… they saw me...”

“Yes but I also got questions for you!” Iori was the first one to speak, Satsuki sat gracefully at her chair in the middle of the room.

“Bout what?”

“Izanami! How did you got it?! I’m more than sure it exploded a couple of months ago!”

“What do you mean how? You gave it to me. You called me to tell me she was ready to be equipped.”

“I never did that!”

“But you did though...”

“When?!”

“A couple of days after Matoi’s fight with Lady Satsuki...”

“Impossible! I was making the new two stars club uniforms by then!”

“Then who was it? I'm more than sure that it was you, only you could’ve sewn it into my uniform...”

“Thanks for the compliment but for now I must make many studies on it!”

“Calm down Iori”

“Y-yes Lady Satsuki”

“First I’ll have a long conversation with him, then you can do whatever you want with him”

Nonon finally returned from her trance “SR. LIZARD WHAT IN THE... WORLD WAS THAT?!”

“Just beat the shit out of an enemy, what did I do wrong?”

“Don’t give me that cr-! You could’ve been more gentle with my clones y’know!”

“They are enemies, I’m sorry but I won’t”

“And what about Satsu-”

*click*

“Enough Jakuzure!”

“Y-yes”

“Once Gamagoori’s mind returns, tell him to do both his and Tadasuki’s guard”

“Yes!”

“And you Tadasuki, come to my room, there’s things we need to talk about in private...”

“Huh...” I was confused but eventually answered “Will do Lady Satsuki!”

“The Lizard done fucked up fufu” I barely heard Nonon say that.

We both went into Satsuki’s chambers. I have no idea what she really wants by talking in private, it could be just a report but those can be done in documents. So it may be a scolding, but she usually does them in public, not to mention that I did not disobey any orders… I think.

She sat on her chair, there wasn’t one for me. Then she turned her back to me, what the fuck did i do?!

“Kai...”

“Yes!” better not anger her anymore…

There was an awkward silence that lasted a couple of seconds, but it felt like an eternity.

“(Blade… Empress… Kiss…)”

She sighed “How did you come into possession of the Izanami?” She still did not look at me.

“Well, like I told Shiro, a couple of days after You fought with Matoi I received a call from him, telling me that it was finished, so I went into the vault and he assembled it into the Assault Regalia… was it wrong? (Then again I never had permission to develop Izanami in the first place...)”

“No, while I was upset that you didn’t tell me when you started this project, it was a good idea and I left you two to continue its development...”

“Then… (Shit! nothing else comes to mind...)”

“I want to know how you felt fighting the clones...”

“...I can’t say it felt different than with any other enemy I’ve fought, I aim to decimate as always...” She knows that’s how I always fight. Inumuta once described it as a Switch in personality: Lay Back with friends and Really Aggressive against enemies with no in between.

“I see… then I ask a different question, what should be done about Scylla?”

“Interrogation is a must and when we do get everything we can out of her we should let her go, if proven it won’t cause any problems in the future”

“Agreed… one last question, and I want you to be honest about it”

“Of course! (Aw shit!)”

“Did you... like what the clone did?” She stuttered a bit, that’s a first...

“...Excuse me? (She can’t be talking about...)”

“Answer” I could not see her face but I knew she was mad.

“Eh? well I cannot say that what Your Clone did felt at all wrong… but it was a fake so...”

“I see. Iori must be getting impatient, go with him, you’re not to step outside until the Izanami has been fully analyzed and Scylla interrogated!”

Those words hit my head like cold water, making me forget any conclusions about anything that just happened.

“I will Lady Satsuki!”

I bowed and left her chambers, as I opened the door, I found Nonon and Shiro trying to act natural. I knew they were just outside trying to peek, but I don’t think they heard anything. Gamagoori was still frozen and Inumuta was typing really fast.

“Oh! You’re still alive Mr. Lizard, what happened?”

“I’ve been put on a leash...”

“That ought to teach ya not to pick a fight with anyone that attacks the School”

“C’mon is not like I could just leave them be...”

“Then trust in us dammit… OY TOAD, IT'S ABOUT TIME YOU FREAKING COME BACK AIN’T IT?!” She slapped Gamagoori with her baton. He didn’t move an inch but he was back.

“We’ll be going if you all don’t mind. Move your ass into the sewing club Kai” he said while pushing me towards the elevator. “You also hurry up Inumuta!”

“I’ll be there in a bit, I found something Interesting about our prisoner...”

“Care to share it with the class?”

“You see… this ‘Scylla’ has actually been dead for a couple of years… Just like Izanagi...”

“Undead huh?” I couldn't help but say that out loud.


	12. The Dead do Tell Tales

“This doesn't make any sense! The surveillance camera at the vault clearly shows me mounting the Izanami to the Assault Regalia, but at the same time there is footage of when I was making the new Two-stars uniforms.” Iori sat in front of a multi screen computer, watching a recording while we waited for Inumuta. 

  


“Listen Shiro, I know this is like a big freaking deal, but I don't think that copy of you is an enemy.”

  


“You know that is not my only concern! I saw the Izanami blow up with my very own eyes two months ago and now it's right there in your right arm”

  


“Well it’s not like I’m going anywhere anytime soon, so you two will have all the time in the world to analyze both the Izanami and Scylla”

  


“You gonna step in for the Interrogation won’t you?”

  


“Of course, you two get really tactless when is about data and don’t act like you weren’t gonna ask me to do it anyway”

  


Shiro let out a sigh and as if he was being summoned, Inumuta appeared from the elevator doors.

  


“Sorry for the delay, but there’s interesting info on our prisoner”

  


“Let’s get moving to the Test area, We first need to see what exactly is up with the Izanami”

  


We walked for a couple of minutes and reached the test area. This is where the new uniforms are tested before they are sent out. I went in alone while these two data maniacs stayed behind a bulletproof glass typing away.

  


“So what was it Inumuta?!” I asked him as I lay down in a metal bed and a red light went up and down me scanning by body and uniform.

  


“No need to scream, Tadasuki”

  


“If I don’t you two ain’t gonna say a thing the entire time I'm staying here”

  


“Touche” said Irori without looking away from the screen. “Just make sure no to move too much.”

  


“Then I’ll start, as I said before, Scylla has been dead for a couple of years by now, the cause of death was buried alive by a landslide, very different from Izanagi’s”

  


“So can we say that their cause of death has nothing to do with them being revived?”

  


“No for certain yet, but we’ll see that later when we Interrogate our prisoner”

  


“Continue then”

  


“Scylla, the original one, died at age of 15, The same as Izanagi”

  


“Then we’ll be fighting revived brats? Actually, scratch that, that sounds way too mean.”

  


“Too late Tadasuki, anyway, Scylla was completely different from Izanagi, she was a normal School Girl who decided to take the long way on the wrong day, no criminal record of any kind and good grades, so other than their age, we have no real clue what their pattern is for reviving people...”

  


“Wow wow, you gotta see this Inumuta” Shiro interrupted.

  


“What is it-whoa, amazing!”

  


“What y’all found?!”

  


“You know how Bakuzan is made out of  **Ultra-Hardened Life Fibers** ?”

  


“Yeah, that’s was what we were making Izanami from...”

  


“Well, our scanning reveals that the Izanami is made out of  **Ultra-Hardened** **_Undead_ ** **Fibers** ”

  


“Sounds cool and ominous, what else?”

  


“I expected you to be a bit more startled, but whatever”

  


“Hey, you were the ones who told me not to move”

  


“Fair enough” he adjusted his glasses. “We have no absolute certainty as to what this really means, but it’s at least as sharp as Bakuzan, not to mention that transformation into your claws, this has turned into quite the favorable paranormal event”

  


“Like you believe in ghosts”

  


“I obviously don’t, but someone worked on the Izanami, if we could figure out who and/or how did it, we could upgrade our arsenal to incredible heights”

  


“So what you sayin is that we can’t duplicate it?”

  


“Not right now, after all we have no info on how the Undead Fibers are actually created”

  


“You can get off Tadasuki, the scan revealed no anomalies to your body, mind or uniform, quite intriguing how this all works”

  


“Well if there’s nothing else to scan, then to the interrogation room”

  


“Agreed”

  


After adjusting my uniform we all walked to where Scylla was being held, as we got closer, we could hear someone crying, a female voice. We rushed to the inside.

  


“What happened?!” I asked while Iori and Inumuta watched.

  


Sanageyama had this tired look on his face, being done with the babysitter role he told us that she was hungry and then left really fast.

  


“(Real smooth Sanageyama...)”

  


Scylla realized who I was and immediately forced herself to stop crying, Covering her mouth with her hands.

  


“We are here only to ask you some questions, you don’t need to be scared (Food… Blood… Happy)”

  


“Y-yes...”

  


“Here, I figured it could come in handy” Inumuta gave me a tablet with a questionnaire on it.

  


“Iori, while you are on your way to get the machines, get her something to eat, will you?”

  


“Fine, get her to cooperate” Iori left and Inumuta got closer to Scylla, she naturally curled herself up.

  


“Give us a second, Inumuta”

  


“Very well” he rolled his eyes and stepped back. Scylla now was more relaxed but still scared.

  


“Scylla, my name is Kai Tadasuki, call me Kai”

  


“Kai...”

  


“Yes, I’m going to ask you some questions, please answer the best you can, do not worry if you can’t respond, just tell me you don’t know and we'll move on, ok?”

  


“...Ok...” Her stomach grumbled and the mood got better if only a little. Inumuta wrote down the fact that she needs to eat, or feels hungry at the very least. A knock is heard behind me, Iori returns with the food. “(That was fast…)”

  


“Here it is...”

  


A meal from the cooking club, did Sanageyama called them over and got it all in place… maybe not but whatever.

  


“Thanks Iori, give us a minute alone please”

  


They went out to the side room with the One-way mirror and left me alone with Scylla. I put the tray of food in front of her and she starts eating slowly, but picks up the pace after the first bite. In the middle of munches I ask the first question.

  


“As I told you, my name is Kai, what’s yours?”

  


“...Scylla Shirogane… Mari?”

  


“What is it?” She stopped eating.

  


“Scylla is my name, but I remember another name...”

  


“Mari? Who’s she?”

  


“Don’t know…”

  


“Is okay, let me ask you another question: How old are you? I myself am 19 years old”

  


“I’m fifteen...”

  


“How did you know about Honnouji Academy?”

  


“?!”

  


“Remember something?”

  


“Yes! Mari! She was the one who told me about Honnouji”

  


“Do you happen to remember what she told you?”

  


“She told me that if I wanted to go back to my world I have to get the ‘She who Invites,’ Mari also told me that I’ll know what I was looking for when I saw it...”

  


“I see, please keep eating, is it tasty?”

  


“Very much, Thank you!” She smiled, her yellow teeth showed no signs of being actually damaged.

  


“What did Mari look like?”

  


“I don’t know, I’ve never seen her...”

  


“How did you create those clones I fought?”

  


“Oh...”

  


“I’m not mad, you can just tell me”

  


“... Mari… She left this dress where i woke up…” She pointed to her dark purple and red Sailor uniform. “When I put it on I somehow knew how to make them… so I stole clothes and made them into those mannequins...”

  


“Clothes?”

  


“Yes, right now I can see that what you’re wearing has the material to make them”

  


“Oh, you mean Life Fibers”

  


“Yes! Those!”

  


“So are your clones made out of Life Fibers?”

  


“I guess...”

  


“You don’t actually know?”

  


“No”

  


“Is okay, can you make another one?”

  


“I don’t think so, those took me a lot of time and while this ribbon doesn’t vibrate I cannot work on them” She pointed again at her clothes, this time specifically to the ribbon around the neck flap.

  


“How curious… say, you mentioned ‘when you woke up’ when and where was it exactly?”

  


“...I… I woke up inside an abandoned building on the land that is connected to this city a couple of months ago, I heard Mari’s voice while I was asleep, and then I opened my eyes to that dusty place...”

  


“Do you remember anything before you went to sleep?”

  


“Now that you mention it… I was on my way to school, I remember it being a friend’s Birthday, so I went out even though it was pouring and I fell asleep somewhere along the way… that is… why I want to get the ‘She who Invites’ back to Mari… sorry...”

  


“(So if they want to be ‘returned’ this Mari gives them a motive to hunt Izanami down, why does she want it though? that is, if Scylla hasn’t been lying this entire time...) Do not worry about it, however” She got all tense “Remember the guys that were with me just a couple of minutes ago? Well they’re my friends and want to give you a thorough examination, will you let us do it?”

  


Scylla was watchful “...”

  


“They won’t hurt you, I’ll make sure of that I’m also going to stay here the entire time.”

  


“O-okay...”

  


“About time, Tadasuki” Inumuta rushed in with a couple of machines with him, I have rarely seen them so I don’t really know what they do. There is a smaller version of the big scanner they used on me though.

  


“Don’t be meant to her will you? I think she has had enough with me”

  


“No promises”

  


Scylla got scared again.

  


“He’s Joking” I tell her to calm her down. “Please do not fight them, they do not want to hurt you either, they want to know who are you”

  


“Okay…” she extended her hand out and the small scanner ran through her whole arm.

  


“Thanks, now would you kindly answer some more questions?”

  


“Sure… I-I don’t mind...”

  


“Good girl, then: Do you know what a  **_Kamui_ ** is?”

  


“Yes, is like a uniform made entirely out of the thingies I use for the Mannequins”

  


“Did Mari told you this?”

  


“No, it was Izanagi, he knew what they were and he told me...”

  


“Are there more like you two?”

  


“I’m not sure, I met him by chance a couple of days before you two fought… I knew he was like me, trapped in this world and he just wanted to go back… I think...”

  


“Does it look different to you when you see my uniform as when you see your own?”

  


“Yes, yours has four long threads, mine has them all over it, but they do not shine like yours”

  


“(So her uniform is a Kamui made of Undead Fibers, interesting… so Izanagi’s wasn’t actually a fake Kamui)”

  


Inumuta and Iori were scanning Scylla's body in complete silence, almost like they weren’t there.

  


“Can you take it off?”

  


“Wha-wha-wha-what?!”

  


“I want to examine it, not now of course, later when we are done talking.”

  


I could see the faces of the two maniacs there going ‘Good job!’ and I let out a mental sigh.

  


“Yeah… If it helps you I can...”

  


“Excellent, I will now take my lea- actually, nevermind…” I’ll stay until they are done analyzing her and discuss what we found after, it’s not like I can go out after all…

  


We continued analyzing her and I kept her distracted with idle chatter. Finally they were done with her and left like if someone was chasing them, I assume towards a big screen to properly analyze the data.

  


“I have to follow them, hope you don’t mind”

  


“I don’t, but could you please come back? this place is scary...”

  


“And what makes you think I’m not?” I say jokingly.

  


“Well you are scary… but not so much when you just talk, also, did you call yourself the Dragon of Honnouji? what does that mean?”

  


“I-I’ll tell you next time, I’ll have someone bring you something to keep you distracted, Later!”

  


“La-ter...” I heard her say in a very low sad voice and I took off to where the two mad geniuses went.

  


“Hey Databrains, found something good?”

  


“Indeed, mainly that she has no heartbeat or blood in her body either.”

  


“So she is like a walking corpse...”

  


“Kinda, there is brain activity, thus she is half alive if that makes some sense”

  


“And what do you two think about this ‘Mari’?”

  


“No clue, but I’ll find out, perhaps there is something on the place she ‘woke’ up, I’ll have someone go check on them when I find them.”

  


“Naturally there’s a high chance that she was lying... Then again her story matched the one Inumuta found.” Iori remmarked what everyone knew as the basics, but it’s good to go back to them every once in a while.

  


“What do you think Tadasuki?”

  


“This ‘Mari’ is the enemy and deceives the ones she revives, allegedly, so they can hunt down the ‘She Who Invites’ for an unknown purpose. The ones that revive are also very different from normal humans as they can see life fibers in plain sight for starters.”

  


“Agreed, there is also the possibility of this Mari sending someone to tie loose ends, so we should be keeping an eye on Scylla at all times.”

  


“You do it, Tadasuki”

  


“I have to be the babysitter huh?”

  


“Don’t act like you have anything else to do, we will give you a spare Goku Uniform though, we do not want her charming you into give her the Izanami”

  


“Very funny Inumuta”

  


“Now please leave us, there is a lot we have to analyze!”

  


“Have fun you two...”

  


“Will do Kai!”

  


Is not like they are at all wrong. Doubt this Mari will send some weakling to shut Scylla up so normal guards are out of the question, I have also repealed both attacks from them so far, so it makes sense they would appoint me as guard…

  


“(I’ll go get her some normal clothes and a desk for myself... I will still be doing paperwork… and not even near Satsuki for a good while… Fuck!)”

  


I change to a special One-Star uniform and return to the Interrogation room, the couple of One-Star guards around left, they’ll be only nuisances if an enemy does show up.

  


“Scylla! you there?”

  


“Oh, Kai! You’re back!”

  


She sounds really excited. Did I scare her into submission? I mean, that’d be the perfect scenario, but I don’t think I went that hard on her when we fought, did I?

  


“Yep, and I brought you some new clothes, would you kindly change into these?” I said as I entered the room. She was drawing something on the table with her fingernail, maybe is another skill these revived ones have?

  


“Ah...” She was a little stunned and erased her drawing after a couple of seconds.

  


“What was it you were scribbling?”

  


“Nothing!” She was nervous, I better check the footage later just to be sure it wasn’t some sort of message.

  


“This will be your new clothes for a while, I’ll go outside and wait for you to change” I placed the no star female uniform I brought with me on the table and started to walk out.

  


“Oh! You’re not wearing that uniform”

  


“Disappointed?” I tell a joke with a smile.

  


“N-n-not at all...” What.

  


“Either way, please be a good girl and put this on, after that we’ll wait for my friends to take your Kamui for some tests, ok?”

  


“Ok, you will stay with me while we wait, right?”

  


“Yeah and from now on I’ll be right outside if you need anything, you won’t be able to leave this room after all...”

  


“I see...” She lowered her head.

  


“You still want to go back, no?”

  


“Yeah...”

  


“You already knew what happened to you...”

  


“...Yes...” She grasped the No-Star uniform. “I died that day long ago… I wanted to go back… to see them again, to think this was all a cruel dream, but a dragon woke me up from that dream and dropped me into another...”

  


“(Me? So I made her realize that she could not go back, so she surrendered… I’ve seen similar cases but this one’s far to extreme...)”

  


“So I want to help you find Mari...”

  


“We’ll talk more once you take the Kamui off...”

  


“Yes” She looked a little sad.

  


I stepped outside and waited for her to change clothes.

  


“Uwah” She sounded tired.

  


“What happened?”

  


“Nothing, is just that it feels weird taking it off after all this time...”

  


“Then, you're done?”

  


“Yeah, you can come in...”

  


I opened the door and she was still on the chair, like if the Uniforms had just switched places.

  


“Amusing...” One of my thoughts escaped me.

  


“T-Thanks...” She blushed, how? I thought she had no blood inside of her.

  


“Allow me to get to the point, Why is it really that you’re helping us?”

  


“I want to find Mari and ask her why she chose me to revive...”

  


“... What do you gain from that?”

  


She fell silent for a second and her voice started to sound otherworldly, like they were two voices speaking at the same time.

  


“It’s cold all the time, I have no need to eat or sleep yet I still feel them and even if she can truly revive me… there is nothing left for me back home. I want to know why I have to go through this cursed existence...”

  


When she was done she turned her head away from me.

  


“I see what you mean, you want answers from the one that put you into this mess… I know how you feel”

  


“Huh?”

  


//-----------------------------------------

  


“It’s a long story and I still have no answers myself… not that I care anymore... (I going to trust her for now)”

  


“I see...”

  


“Scylla Shirogane!”

  


“Yes! (Did I said something wrong?!)”

  


“You want answers! So do we! Help us get ours and Honnouji Academy will help with yours! Become our ally!”

  


“You… are you serious? (He’s the first one to offer me help since I was revived...)” She was about to cry.

  


“You little stunt did no damage to Honnouji, but you still must work and make yourself a name here with us! (I think that’s good enough, now let’s see what she has to say)”

  


“I will aid you in whatever you need!!! (If this takes me closer to Mari, I will serve them if necessary!)”

  


“Good, from now you are part of Honnouji, sadly, you have to stay here for a while but I can assure you, that if you help us you will be rewarded! (Hope Satsuki is fine with that...)”

  


//------------------------------------

  


After that little bit of fun, someone knocked on the door and without any delay between them the door opened.

  


“Quite Inspiring, Tadasuki” Iori enters the room.

  


“Here for the Kamui?”

  


“Yes, for that and for the desk you asked for, it’s waiting outside...” That was their way to say ‘we want to talk in private,’ they found something.

  


“I’ll go check it, I’ll leave for a bit again Scylla”

  


“Is okay!”

  


“(She got her energy back, good)”

  


Iori went in with a couple of machines that took the Kamui and placed it on a movable table, then the One-Star grunts took it away. He stayed and dropped a couple of documents on the desk after it was done being moved to the inside of the One-way Mirror room.

  


“Kai, we found something you should be aware of”

  


“What is it?”

  


“The Izanami somehow does not want to leave your uniform”

  


“What do you mean?”

  


“Just as it sounds, We tried to take the Izanami out of the Onslaught Regalia but it did not came off”

  


“I assume you already tried to unsewn it… This just gets more interesting by the minute, wouldn’t you agree?”

  


“Once we are done with the Kamui we might know what the Undead Fiber really are and become the strongest we have ever been… I trust you know what that means...”

  


“Of course… soon all Japan will be ours!”

  


The next couple of days I received a document about the Matoi’s Fighting Club, this Mankanshoku girl as the leader… bold move Matoi. Apparently it was a success, I did A LOT of demotions those days, all of them involved Matoi. I gotta say: Good Job.

  


I talked with Gamagoori about it, apparently Mankanshoku was really close to becoming Three-star by the book alone. While that would’ve been fun, that ain’t happening… Matoi won’t let her… hehe.

  


During that time I got Scylla a sketchbook, I asked her to draw how she saw the uniforms and we talked about what she likes. Listen, I gotta entertain myself somehow, I was there for god-knows how many days straight and I bet she feels the same.

  


We played some games and talked about who were the ones she copied, she apparently didn’t know a thing about them. She also explained what her plan to get the Izanami was.

  


Relatively simple, she made clones of everyone, mine was supposed to be there as well, but she ran out of material. She wanted them to infiltrate the Academy and find out where we kept the Izanami and I would’ve worked for a while but the Mannequins activated on their own, she only knows that it has to do with me since they moved by themselves to attack me.

  


//------------------------

  


“Who is the long haired girl?”

  


“Lady Satsuki?”

  


“Well yeah I know her name and that she is like the Queen of Honnouji. But barely anything else.”

  


“She is the strongest woman I’ve ever met and the one who made me who I am now”

  


“Woah”

  


“She doesn’t fear anything and there’s nothing she won’t do when it comes to fulfilling her ambitions...”

  


“You like her don’t you?”

  


“You get rather aggressive with the questions fast, but yes, I do”

  


“I see...” She looked discouraged.

  


“But she has no time for these things, neither do I, so all I can do is follow her orders, though she does think of me quite highly if I do say so myself.”

  


“So she recognizes your strength and loyalty...”

  


“She is also stronger than me so don’t mess with her” Perhaps I should talk less, all that happens in here is being recorded after all.

  


We heard a big boom coming from way up. Something happened. I got up from the chair and I walked out. I got in contact with Iori.

  


“What was that?!”

  


“Don’t worry Tadasuki, it was just the Fighting Club being dissolved”

  


“What?”

  


“All you need to know now is that the Club Matoi was part of is no more, I’ll get you the details later, I think you are gonna have fun with this one”

  


“Ok…?”

  


I read the report of what happened with Matoi and Mankanshoku, indeed it was fun, but what was more important, the “Restart” was about to begin. Interesting.


	13. Dawn in the Mind of the Dragon

The next days were going to be an all out war throughout Honno City. A chance for getting a high rank for yourself, for Me and the rest of the guys is more like an excuse for vacation than a war, sadly I’m stuck here with scylla. I’ll still get to beat some ass, Some one-stars will try to get here but they’ll be no match.

It would seem that Satsuki liked that I managed to make Scylla an ally, since she told me that my sentence was shortened, then again I was going to stay until further notice so I don’t think it really did much…

“Seven days of chaos...”

“What? Why?”

Scylla heard me through the intercom, she doesn't know I’m in the room next to her’s, so I got this in order to get recorded anything we say during this time.

“Well let me tell you what I got out of what Lady Satsuki said- All of the student council, me and the other four guys you copied, will be treated as no-stars for the next week.”

“...”

“I don’t really get it myself but she is obviously planning something, she let everyone keep their goku uniforms, including me of course… though I haven't got it back yet”

“I don’t understand a thing”

“Let me finish, after those seven days, everyone that makes it to school will participate in some sort of tournament and make themselves a name there, no need to tell you that there will be at least five people there”

“So what’s gonna happen until then?”

“Chaos and destruction basically, no need to worry, The worst you gonna get will be some noise”

“I see...”

I haven’t gotten any reports from any of those Databrains regarding Izanami and her Kamui… What's taking them so long?!

I take a bite of the nutrient bar out of frustration and hear my phone ring, it’s Satsuki. I cut the connection with Scylla’s Walkie Talkie and answer.

“Yes Lady Satsuki!”

“Kai, how is everything going down there?”

“Pretty well, I heard practically nothing from the anarchy that I’m sure started already”

“That’s good and our new ally?”

“She is also doing well, hasn't got attacked by anyone trying to tie loose ends and seems pretty honest, thought we are getting a little bored...”

She let a small laugh that melted me, but let’s get back to the real world.

“Then do you think it’s time to let her go?”

“Well...” I turn to see Scylla “As things are outside right now she’ll be much safer here… on the other hand...”

“You want out of there, right?”

“Guilty”

“Just like the Elite Four you have complete freedom to do whatever you want these seven days. I don’t think you need me to wish you luck”

“It’s welcomed though… and as I see things now, you’re up there just making sure no one gets you… so there's really no point in free time for me right now”

“We can still talk like this”

“I'd like it far more if it were with a cup of tea in the meeting room Lady Satsuki. But it's okay, I’ll earn that myself next week!”

“Satsuki”

“Huh?”

“When is only the both of us you call me just Satsuki, understood?”

“Y-yes! Satsuki…” We have been doing that for some time by now. I wanted to make sure I don’t mess up somewhere else and call her Lady Satsuki for a while, but that also got me in a lil bit of trouble...

“Back to what I really wanted to discuss, Your battle with Scylla”

“Yes, what exactly? I feel a little bad talking about this with Scylla right here but sure”

“She’s there?!”

“On the other room, I'm looking over her after all”

“Very well… What I wanted to discuss was what the clones told you when they first showed up”

“I see, that still makes no sense to me, Scylla also doesn’t seem to know”

//-------------------------------------

“Satsuki”

“Huh?”

“When is only the both of us you call me just Satsuki, understood? (Wait, why did I said that?)”

“Y-yes! Satsuki…”

“Back to what I really wanted to discuss, Your battle with Scylla”

“Yes? what exactly? I feel a little bad talking about this with Scylla right here but sure”

“She’s there?! (Why?!)”

“On the other room, I'm looking over her after all”

“Very well…(Right...) The part I want to discuss was what the clones told you when they first showed up”

“I see, that still makes no sense to me, Scylla also doesn’t seem to know”

Satsuki told Kai about the Nightmares they all had, she didn’t tell her own, instead she said that they will discuss that one in person.

“Wow! The Gamagoori one gave me the chills, but how are they tied to the Mannequins exactly?”

“That’s what I want to find out, both Iori and Inumuta have been busy analyzing Scylla’s odd Kamui and preparing for today that there hasn’t been real time to get on the subject”

“I see, so the constants Inumuta checked, assuming they also fit your nightmare, are: Me, my right arm and the red wind”

“Yes, what’s your verdict?”

“Well the red wind is the red sand that Scylla invoked then, Me is me and on the right arm...”

“The Izanami”

“Naturally, but why in those nightmare was I so aggressive? It doesn’t make sense, I mean they were all close friends, but if Scylla wanted to get specifically in my head, there was going to be one me, of Matoi and one of Omi- Hakodate as well… so I don’t think I was being targeted...”

“Oh, interesting, care to explain in detail? (Hakodate… !)”

“Yes, If Scylla had made me as her Target, there was probably going to be some sort of psychological attack involving them as well as the Elite Four, its effectiveness is something I can’t say for sure but in the worst scenario I would’ve still pushed through”

“I know you would” Satsuki took a sip of tea. “You are like that...”

“Thank you very much Satsuki”

“The Izanami did not damaged you from what I heard”

“It didn’t but how it transformed is something we still cannot figure out, it was originally just a prototype for creating more weapons like Bakuzan should we ever need them and is still a mystery as to who worked on the Izanami that is currently bound to my uniform”

“Bound?”

“Yes, the Izanami cannot be unmounted, doing so will tear the Assault Regalia to shreds, that’s what Iori told me”

“I haven’t heard that… curious”

“Then unless the Spider messed up somewhere...”

“There’s someone unwanted in the web”

“Exactly, how do we deal with this?”

“We can leave it be, at worst it attacks you and that will be a more than acceptable outcome”

“You make it sound like you don’t want me here, but I get what you mean”

“I’ll leave you to your work, Good Luck Kai”

“Thanks and I’ll talk to you Later, Satsuki”

The call ended and Satsuki took a look around her, not even Soroi who she told to stay outside for a bit was there. The only other living thing in that room was Junketsu, who stayed completely still.

“(God! What did I say?! ‘Just Satsuki’...)”

She took a couple of seconds to wash off that embarrassment and returned to her composed self and analyze the serious stuff they talked about.

“(He was not being targeted, an intruder and the bound Izanami… this is getting serious, if I had this information beforehand I would’ve delayed the Natural Selections… while both attackers have been weak, they have disguise skills. Not even Kai could tell the difference from the fake Iori after all… However Kai does not think this fake Iori is an enemy...)”

“May I come in, Lady Satsuki?”

“Yes Soroi, I need another cup”

“At once”

//--------------------------------------------

“I’ll leave you to your work, Good Luck Kai”

“Thanks and I’ll talk to you Later, Satsuki”

The call ended and I took some time to process. Their Nightmares, the attack and… Satsuki… wait no come back.

*blip blip*

Scylla's intercom finally reached my ears, it was trying to communicate the entire time I was talking with Satsuki but I gave it little importance.

“Sorry Scylla, important matters...”

“Thank God! I got worried you were attacked or something!”

“I told you, the only ones that can beat me are: Satsuki and maybe if two of the Elites go all out on me, there’s no need for you to fear for me”

“Let me worry about you! You’re my friend after all”

“Friend...huh”

“Anyway, got something cool?”

“Obviously, nothing I can tell you”

“You’re no fun when she’s involved” She pouted and looked away from the radio.

“Well when I work I’m supposed to be efficient, not fun...”

She got angrier and put her back towards the radio. She reminded me of Nonon.

The phone rang again.

“(Speak of the devil…) I’ll be back”

“Hey! We’re not done tal-”

“What's up Jakuzure?”

“What’s this? Lizard’s upset” I only call her by her last name when I'm angry.

“Kinda, what do you need?”

“Just wanted to make sure you’re not gonna make any moves when we’re gone fufu”

“You know I’m stuck down here with Scylla” She’s just teasing like usual.

“What are you gonna do this Seven days?”

“Don’t know yet, If I get too far away from the girl she may be attacked...”

“When did you get so soft Mr. Lizard”

“It's for the mission, if it were anyone else I’ll probably just leave”

“You sure she hasn’t charmed you yet?”

“Very funny Jakuzure”

“It’s my trademark after all”

“You can go have fun, Satsuki locked herself up, I’m basically shackled to Scylla down here and there's nothing really interesting for me out there...”

“You don’t have any hobbies?! Even the Big Toad took off on his own car”

“He got it already? Sounds fun”

“Anyway you should leave the girl alone for a while and get working on a real hobbie that ain’t work. You gave her a way to contact you, didn’t you? So you should be good”

“...”

“What’s this?! Did I get you this time?!” I could feel her smugness through the phone. Well she is right, Scylla doesn’t know I’m right in the next room and she already has a phone to call me anywhere anytime...

“I’ll think about it, even your playfulness is useful every once in a while, thanks Nonon”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!”

“Later”

“He-”

I hung up and decided to go into Scylla’s room. I knock on the door and go in without delay. She was looking away from me, obviously mad at me…

“Sorry about that...”

“Hmph!”

“If it makes you feel better, we have permission to leave”

“What???” She blushed again, how in the world does she do that?!

“With all the chaos going on outside we were given green light to leave…”

“So...”

“We're making a pit stop before leaving Honnouji for a while, actually… let me rephrase that...”

“...”

“We’re going for our uniforms, after that I’m taking a trip outside of Honnouji and you’re coming with me, got that?”

“Yes! but why leave? You’re not gonna fight?”

“There’s no need, because 1: We’re getting attacked anyways and 2: I’m making it to the next week, whether anyone likes it or not”

“You can be cool when you try to...”

“What was that?” I actually heard it crealy, but I have the feeling she did not want me to hear that.

“Nothin!”

“Then let’s go!”

We left towards the lab where both of our uniforms should be located. I’ll talk with Iori if I find him… Oh! It seems we’re in luck.

“Shiro! How u doin?”

“Ah, Kai and Scylla, You two finally decided to get together?”

“Don’t try to pull a Nonon on me now… We’re here for our uniforms, do you mind?”

“Nah, though let me make put an special device on them, we haven’t had time to analyze them properly, but when you two get back it’ll be full of helpful extra data”

“I guess… You okay with that Scylla?”

“Yes, I have no problem”

“Then get to it”

“Thank you very much”

We walked a bit more and got in front of the lab where both the Assault Regalia and Scylla’s Kamui, now named “The Hound,” were. Interestingly enough, Izanami was showing even though it didn’t transform.

“Is that supposed to happen?”

“Yeah, don’t worry, we left a camera and let it out to see if anything happened, but nothing at all”

“I see...” I had more things to talk about with Shiro, but not in front of Scylla.

After a couple of buttons were pressed a mechanical arm came down and sewed something into both the Uniforms’ insides.

“You automated these, quite interesting...”

“It was so anyone could do it, I could do it better, faster and easier myself if I wanted to, but it doesn't matter right now, we are taking them off soon anyway… They’re ready, you can take them off from there”

“Thank you very much Shiro, anything we need to know before we leave?”

“You are taking your phone with you? If anything happens more than a couple of people would like to know”

“Of course, is not like I’m running away, these are just days off”

“Days off...”

“Have anything in mind Scylla? a place you want to visit?”

“Not really… I’ve already gone everywhere I wanted before getting here...”

“Then how about the Beach?” I like to swim but barely get a chance to since I have to keep my uniform on at all times.

“Sounds… Nice...”

“Didn’t knew you liked it, Kai”

“Tried a couple of times when we were Conquering other schools, it was fun to swim, though now that I think about it, it may not be a good idea, I’ll have to take my uniform off for swimming...”

“You worry too much sometimes… and sometimes not enough… this time is the former, I’m sure you can beat anyone dumb enough to fight you even without your Uniform. Not to mention that you are going to keep it close to you at all times”

“Thanks for the compliment, Haha!”

Scylla watched in silence. I’m sure she felt dragged, because she was. But for a different reason than what she thinks. She thinks this is for keeping an eye on her but in reality it’s because I’m selfish, if anything happens to her or her Kamui I’ll be responsible for that. I’m sure Satsuki knew that but told me to leave anyway to test me.

“How are you getting there?”

“I’ll take one of the bikes from the biker club, I had them make one just for fun”

“Interesting but now if you have nothing else to say then I ask that you get on your way, It’s about to get dicey in here”

“Why?”

“I also have to fight as well as several other, more personal, experiments”

“Fine, fine, we’ll leave, Make sure you tell Lady Satsuki about all this will ya?”

“She might already know, try no to run into Matoi while you’re out there”

“No promises, is an all-out war out there”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you, have fun then Kai, you too Scylla”

“Yes...”

Just in case I called Satsuki and told her my plans myself, I passed her test by the looks of it. “Lovely” she said my plan sounded… I’m still confused about it. But the point was that she seemed to approve and with our uniforms and the bike we’ll reach the beach in no time at all.

“Time for some free time! Ready?!”

“Ye-wah!”

I didn’t let her finish speaking before I revved up and we came out to the courtyard blowing some one-stars away, some other tried to attack us and got in front of the bike. Borrowing a technique and bamboo sword from Sanageyama’s dojo I quickly hit them out of the way and sent them flying against the walls. But after that there was still a mountain of bodies blocking the entrance.

“You guys could've been a little tidier…”

I speed up and raise the front wheel up a little, we’re riding the mountain. At its top one of the brutes from the American Football club appears, claiming we ain’t going nowhere.

“Nothing but empty threats from a Pig!”

He stops the bike with his whole body and give me this stupid grin. Oh it’s on, fucker.

He is struggling against the bike strength, I simply get up and walk on top of the bike to reach this guy’s face and as he tries to punch me…

**_“Inazuma no Ato!”_ ** (After the lightning!)

Far weaker than if I had transformed the Assault Regalia but still delivered. The mountain of bodies disappeared as they all went flying in different directions along with the guy that tried to stop us. The bike was suspended in the air for a couple of seconds and started to fall to the ground.

“Kai!”

Scylla reached for me but when she noticed I was already back in the seat.

“Don’t scare me like that...”

“You’re gonna have to do something with that faint heart of yours if you wanna be a part of Honnouji, girl!”

“O-okay...” She was really quiet.

“Let’s work on it now!”

“WhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaH!”

I took a shortcut. Instead of going around the school and taking the spiral down to the bridge I jumped straight from the front to one of the sections of the spiral bridge.

But I didn't stop there, I kept going forward once we landed, going for another jump! This one is far more difficult, better speed up even more!

“ANOTHER ONE?!”

We jump.

I took a glance at her, she was enjoying it and we both started laughing. It’s about time!

We land on the next one and I intend to keep going, but we’re not gonna make it to the next one in a simple jump, that’s what the roofs of the Two-Star district are for!

After quite the mess, we reach the Bridge that connects Honnouji with Japan. I stop and look back at the School.

“It’s been a good while since last I stepped outside of Honno city… I already miss it...”

“Oh hell no! You promised me Ice cream!”

“Heh, you right… Let’s go!”

“WAIT A MINUTE TADASUKI!” This time it wasn’t Scylla the one who yelled at me.

“Who in the-?!”

I see someone also riding out of Honnouji, two girls in a scooter.

“Ah Matoi, good to see you!”

“Can’t really say the same Tadasuki, running away are we?”

“Speak for yourself!”

“OH, isn’t that the girl you captured the other day, Vice-Prez?” Mankanshoku spoke out of nowhere, does this girl even know her place… bah I’ll care about it when I return. “OH?! Is she your girlfriend?!”

“You never know when to shut up huh? No, she’s not and whatever I’m doing does not concerns any of you”

They both had a look of confusion on their faces. They are not looking at me? wait, Scylla.

I turned to see her and she was hiding behind my cape. “(So it WAS that… I’ll talk to her about it in private...) Anyway, where are you two running off to?”

“Like I’d tell you!”

“Don’t worry Matoi, if it would come in handy I might’ve even offer you a ride, but you know how to defend yourself”

“Shut up and suit up! It’s time to fight!”

“Nah, we’ll just go if you don’t mind. I have no reason to fight and for the first time in a while I’m looking forward to some fun”

I start driving away.

“Stop dammit!” They are following us in that little scooter yelling, barely any speed. I decide to slow down and wait for them.

After a couple of minutes they finally catch up I start driving slowly, matching their speed.

“Don’t ignore me you ass!”

“I know I promised you a fight, but I technically delivered already and how about we settle it when we return? and Mankanshoku… Stop that” She was sneakingly trying to take some of our provisions, that sound like this is an expedition… She was stealing some of our food for the trip.

“Ah! He saw me”

“You weren't exactly silent about it… How about another deal? We let you off with that food and you let us go easy this time”

“Are you even gonna take this seriousl-” Matoi’s stomach grumbled 

“... So?”

“Fine, but you better get ready for next week, I’m kicking all of you guys’ asses!”

“I hope that isn’t an empty threat! Matoi!” I accelerate, leave a cloud dust and we lose them.

“That was fun!” Scylla talked “Who are they exactly? I know that girl is wearing a Kamui, it shines sooo much”

“She is Ryuko Matoi, she is trying to take down Honnouji because she thinks we killed her father and Satsuki keeps her around I don’t really know why” That last part was a lie.

“Oh! And the other girl?”

“Mako Mankanshoku, her friend, I know little of her, no like it matters, she has more Stars on her uniform than brain inside her head. She even once got in the way of Satsuki’s Blade and was saved by Matoi”

“Ryuko and Mako… Would you mind if I talked with them when we get back?”

“If they let you then all right, but I don’t think you’re getting anything out of them… each for different reasons”

“Haha! So you CAN say jokes haha!”

I smiled and sped up, we lost some time here we have to get it back!

//----------------------------

From all over Honno city, the Elite four saw Kai’s little stunt.

“Was that Kai?! I never knew he could make such a mess... ” Sanageyama ‘saw’ Kai and Scylla make it alive to the bottom of Honno city in record time.

//-

“Whoa! That looks fun! I’ll have Mr. Lizard give me a ride next time!” Nonon was excited since she now knew how Kai had fun.

//-

“Interesting, there is one of those devices on their uniforms… Thanks Tadasuki! This will prove fun for me as well...” Inumuta also didn’t have too much planned and was thankful for having something for him while they're away.

//-

“He knew how to drive?! I’m falling behind him again! I won’t let him!” Gamagoori was the most competitive against Tadasuki so he once again vouched to defeat him.

//-

At the top of Honno Tower

“Not bad Kai… Not bad...” Satsuki took a sip of tea and unconsciously rewatched the whole scene a couple of times.

//--------------------------

A dark and very tall tower light came from the last floor. A pale woman with ashen hair sat in front of a silver desk while rainbow lights illuminated the room.

Ragyo Kiryuin

“It would seem that my daughter's lap dog was let loose for a while...”

“May I pay him a visit?” Dark silhouette spoke, even with the rainbow lights it still looked like a living shadow.

“Have fun…” While she barely knew who or why this dark man wanted to, she allowed it.“Izanagi, was it?” This boy arrived by accident to one of REVOCS labs a while ago.

“Yes and thank you Lady Ragyo”


	14. BloodHound

“So where exactly are we going, Kai?”

“Not too far, to the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka, We have plenty of places under our control there, so it is also practically free for us to stay there. It'll be around a two hours drive there”

“Oh, I've never been there! How is it?”

“To be honest I’ve also not been there, not for vacation at least. You’ve heard about Honnouji conquering other schools after all”

“Yeah, honestly I’m still scared of the other guys...”

“In any case we ain’t stopping until we get there. I’m really looking forward to a long swim”

“...Hey...”

“What is it?”

“Could you tell me about the ‘Dragon of Honnouji’?”

“Oh...” That is a bit of an embarrassing story… ah fuck it! “Is how many students call me back at home”

“Home?”

“At Honnouji Academy, that is my home”

“I see”

“Continuing, I got it actually from Lady Satsuki”

“How come?”

“It was the first time I was tasked with taking control of another school...”

That day it was me alone against like a gang of 100 dudes, the other guys were there as well but I was about to prove my real strength to everyone.

/

A courtyard of an abandoned school, filled with stereotypical gang teenagers. In the very center it stands alone a man wearing his jacket like a cape. Kai Tadasuki was about to show why he was part of the party that has been decimating other schools.

“You’ve been abandoned by your friends! Tadasuki was it?!”

They left to not hinder his movements, Kai said nothing back to the leader of this gang that tried to provoke him.

Far above them on the roof surrounding them, Five people stood. Four skinny yet easily distinguishable from each other and a tall blonde man.

“C’mon let me go down there!”

“Do not be so hasty Sanageyama!” Satsuki shot him down “This is for him to show his growth. At worst we lose a pig, at best...”

“We get another big shot on our side, I like it” Nonon interrupted Satsuki to add her own take on why she ordered them to stay outside this fight.

“Mathematically speaking, he should be able to defeat them, that is, if he makes all the right moves and keeps in that he is already capable of beating your ass Sanageyama” Inumuta spoke about the odds of the battle.

“If he is to fall here he never had the strength to join us!” Gamagoori stated loud and clear.

“Fine! But if he fails I will jump down there and beat some punks!”

“That is IF he does fail Sanageyama...” Satsuki said and everyone stood silently watching the battle unfold.

“What?! You mute or somethin?!”

“I simply have nothing to say to someone like you!” Kai stood still. “(I cannot use my steel claws by Satsuki’s orders, but I can still beat them!)”

“So what’s it gonna be?! You surrender and we let you leave? Or the hard way?”

“Hmph”

“YOU ASSHOLE! GET HIM GUYS!”

“(Got you!)”

Five guys that were at the front charged at Kai. He did not move an inch. Sanageyama saw nothing with his eyes, it looked like Kai was completely calm and did not intend to move.

The five guys had different weapons, a Pipe, a Chain, a Bat, a Knife and brass knuckles. and as they jumped to hit Kai, they all were sent back flying, Kai still did not move.

“Interesting...” Satsuki said.

“When did he?!” Sanageyama was stunned since he never saw Kai use his fighting spirit before.

“Impressing Tadasuki” Inumuta recorded this event.

“You’re just copying Satsuki! Baka Tokage!” (Stupid Lizard)

Gamagoori said nothing and kept watching.

“What the fuck did you just did?!”

“Me? Nothing, they just stopped attacking” Kai shrugged and said with all the sarcasm in the world. Two punks took this chance to attack since they saw he had lowered his guard, or so they thought. Like if they had any plan on them, both with pipes attacked, one from the front and one to the back of Kai.

“We got you this time!”

*Clank*

Metal with metal.

The grin on the leader’s face turned to confusion when Kai stopped both attacks with his forearms.

“Are you serious! This ain’t even worth as warm up!”

“You-” One of the guys that was blocked by Kai tried to punch him but it was sent flying towards the crowd, knocking a couple of guys unconscious as well.

“FUCK IT! ALL AT THE SAME TIME BOYS!”

Like flies chasing garbage, they all jumped with countless weapons towards the single man in the middle. Their ally was still locked in melee with Kai.

“Fools!”

Kai grabbed the pipe he was blocking, and swung it together with the guy attached to it, making an opening for himself. Quickly jumping through it, the punks did not see him left.

When they started to look around they noticed that: One: their leader was gone, and Two: Kai was flying over their heads.

His image was something terrifying to the punks. His long jacket-cape was like a pair of wings, pretty sure most of them thought “Demon!.” Kai held their leader like a sack of potatoes and when he saw that they had noticed him, he started to descend. 

Some of them were waiting for him but it was a mistake. Doing a superhero landing Kai smashed the head of the leader on the ground and knocked away the ones near him, his cape still frying behind him like a pair of folded wings. His gaze, like that of a predator, froze the punk’s souls.

“Monster!” Some of them screamed as they fled while some others were paralyzed by fear.

There was one person that could beat this monster but she wasn’t in the battle. What went through her mind was something different, she didn’t see a demon or a monster.

“(Like a Dragon violently landing...)”

“Damn that Kai! Getting all the action for himself!”

Satsuki ignored Sanageyama’s rant and stepped forward smacking Bakuzan on the ground.

“Good Work Tadasuki!” She shifted her own gaze to the punks that stayed behind “You worthless pigs just faced the Dragon of Honnouji! Stand for yourself or leave at once!” She slammed her sword again and the remaining ones of them started to run like rats, all in different directions.

After they all left, Satsuki and the others came down off the roof.

“(The Dragon huh… I’m still calling him lizard! It's far cuter!)”

“No fair, I wanted that one!” Sanageyama complained.

“Keep quiet Kanto Monkey!”

“Quite amusing Tadasuki, this outcome was even better than what I predicted I could be!”

“When did you learn all that Tadasuki?!” Gamagoori asked what everyone wanted to know.

“Doesn’t matter, what matters is that we won. You should also try to become stronger on your own accord Sanageyama” Out of nowhere, Kai taunted Sanageyama.

“Huh?! Wanna go again?!”

“Enough you two! We are moving to our next target!” Satsuki interrupted them.

“Yes Lady Satsuki!” All responded and walked away from the abandoned battlefield.

/

“Cool!”

“Thanks” Good, I managed to skip the part where I trip and fall.

Scylla out of nowhere got silent and moments later I understood why. We were being followed. The worst part was that they weren't even stealthy about it.

“Hey Mister Vice-President! I see you liked our newest model!”

The Bikers Club, they followed us by putting something in our bike I assume. They took their damn time. I’ll thank them for letting me finish my story, but first...

“Kinda! It ain’t the fastest but damn sure it's though!”

“Let’s see how much that cocky attitude lasts!”

The seven bikers, one far bigger than the others, sped up and tried to surround us.

“You all could be more original, you know?! Scylla!”

“Y-yes!”

“Get them!”

“But without the mannequins-”

“You can do it”

I look back at her and I notice that her face changed from scared, to determined then to confusion and back to determined again. Something happened inside her.

“Ready?!”

“Yeah!”

I drive to the side and start struggling with one of the bikes. Suddenly a thick black and red tentacle burst out of the other side of our bike, hitting one of the riders which sends him flying and explodes.

“Partner!” they yell.

The tentacle still out then charges at another one of the bikers. Now I clearly see a big detail on that tentacle: it had a dog head at the very end.

“I knew you had it!”-I tell Scylla-“Still wanna got you idiots?” I kick the bike we were struggling with, it loses control and crashes. Three down, four to go.

“You’ll pay for that! And your girl as well!”

That biker crashed mere seconds later after being struck with Scylla’s attack.

“Choose your words carefully you pigs!” There are only three left, two one-stars and the leader. All of them in front of us, preventing us from accelerating. “My turn!”

I transform only my right arm into the Assault Regalia, perks of a Four-stars. Summon my sword and transform it into a whip, following the theme imposed by Scylla. I swung it at one of the one-stars and pulled him out of his seat. I let him go while in mid air transforming the whip back into a sword.

“Go get the last one-star girl!”

“Don't call me that...” I barely heard her but she still did it.

The dog tentacle jumped way overhead and crushed the last one-star on the road.

“(Her... Over… Dogs...)”

“Kai, I’ve got a plan” She whispered what she wanted me to do. Sounds fun!

“Got it!” I told her before yelling at the Two-Stars “Not giving up yet?!”

“AS IF ASSHOLE!”

“Now Kai!”

He let out a bunch of oil from the back of his bike. But before that I break and pull up the back of the bike, using my transformed arm I push your bike away from the ground so it does a front flip over both the oil and the Two-star guy.

We are now directly above the Bike Club Leader.

From each side of the bike a Tentacle Dog leapes towards the Leader, Crushing him and his bike. They also push us a little further so we can fully do the front flip and land.

“Woohoo!” I rev up and leave them behind.

Scylla was panting for breath “Yeah!*pant*that’s what they get!*pant* for getting in our way!”

“Wanna talk about what exactly is up with those dogs?”

“Later *pant* I’ll take a looong shower when we get to Shizuoka, then if I don’t fall asleep right there and then we’ll talk”

“(Ugh, why does it feel like I’m gonna get scolded...) Rest then, we have little less than an hour left, I had planned on stopping but now I’ll put the pedal to the metal! Hold on tight!”

“Baka...” (Stupid) She said quietly as she hugged me real tight. I didn’t think she would be this strong, shit… that’s a Kamui for ya, though I still don’t know the real difference between Her’s, Matoi’s and Satsuki’s. Regardless, She’s gotta be as strong as Sanageyama at least…

She fell asleep while holding me and her grasp did not loosen up. The rest of the ride was uneventful, other than a couple of animal sightings and a pit stop in Itō, we did not stop until we reached one of REVOCS private/secret resorts. Since they, or rather She, sponsors Honnouji, we have full access to places like this.

The reviews from high class pigs I saw online through my phone were goddamn good.

The place had no parking lot, when we arrived I woke Scylla up and got down from the bike so the valet could take it away.

“Welcome Master Kai!” a row of servants said at the same time then the staff chief spoke alone.

“We’ve been expecting you, We were also told you’d bring company”

Scylla was hidden inside my cape and half asleep. It looks like summoning those dogs Really tires her out.

“She’s Scylla, Treat her like one of the Elite Four, but for now we’ll take a rest, Lead us to our room” Acting like Satsuki does help a lot in these kinds of situations.

“At once!”

A pair of maids asked us to follow them and we walked for a while til we reached an elevator that took us to the highest floor… I wasn't expecting this good of a treatment, whatever, we’re here to enjoy it we might as well.

The door opened to one of the most posh places I’ve ever seen, even more than our personal rooms back at Honnouji. The entire floor was covered by a carpet, there was a couple of glass doors and a big one that let us out of the penthouse towards a big pool that in itself had another, a little smaller than the main room, building next to it.

“We hope this is of your liking” Both of the maids said so in sync it almost made me lose my cool.

“It is, you may leave now” They bowed and left without any question…Scylla is still half awake below my jacket-cape. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand she’s asleep…I’ll carry her to the main bedroom.

Wait! these idiots only gave us only one bed… I’ll see if there is another on the building by the pool.

/

Back at Honno city, Inumuta is isolated in a dark room on who knows where.

“Iori, did you get the data already?”

“Yes, quite impressive these Undead Fibers, to contort like that… I may even try to pull that off on a goku uniform”

“Don’t, I believe it’ll be a waste of material”

“If you say so, got anything on their inner workings?”

“Nope, they still look like a black silhouette on the camera...”

“Exciting!”

“Agreed, these things are hiding from us on purpose, there’s no other explanation”

“So what we have for now is: The Undead Fibers are some variant of the Life Fibers”

“Yes, though we will archive them as Normal Life Fibers and the Hound as another goku uniform”

“Of course, I also got that message from Lady Satsuki”

“Oh, by the way, Iori. Was it you who put those devices on their uniforms?”

“Nope, but Lady Satsuki said that there’s nothing to fear”

“Alright then, let’s Unveil these things!”

“Way ahead of you!”

/

“Oh… I see, will do, Lady Ragyo...” the chief of staff hung the phone, clearly scared.

“What did Lady Ragyo say?”

The chief was still gasping, but after a bit he did a *phew* and spoke.

“Lady Ragyo said that we’ll have another guest soon, she did said it was not herself”

The rest of the servants there all eased up when they heard that Ragyo was not coming to their installation. They were not against her, but anyone can tell you that being near that woman is dangerous at the very least.

/

“Sweet! there was another bed on this building! Oh and a bright blue pair swim trunks! I’m starting to like this place!”

I got changed, took a towel from that room and walked towards the pool, keeping my Assault Regalia real close just in case… She may scold me but I can defend my argument.

*Splash* I plunge into the pool. This thing’s far deeper than it looks!

I stabilize on the surface and start swimming to the other end. Damn, this place does have good sights from the whole peninsula! Now I see why REVOCS decided to build this thing here!

It’s no use.. I still cannot fully relax…

“You seem to be having fun Kai!” She said from the inside of the penthouse

I stop in at the very center of the pool.

“Yeah! I needed this!”

“And I think that the shower I need got upgraded to a full on bathtub!”

“Have fun, I had the peoples here prepare one just for you” I know she likes me but I cannot help but treat my friends well.

“Really!- T-thanks...” She blushed a bit again.

“Go or it’ll go to waste!” I smiled and she ran back into the penthouse.

I: “(Hey!)”

“Huh? Scylla you said something?!” No answer, either she’s playing me a joke or-

I: “(ai was it? Listen to me!)”

I jump out of the water, put part of the Assault Regalia on and up my guard.

I: “(Jeez I didn’t knew you were that easy to scare)”

“Who’s there?!”

“Is there something wrong? Kai?” Scylla spoke this time, this confirmed that that voice was not her.

I: “(Now she’s gonna think you’ve gone insane, just like Ryuko)”

“Who are you?”

I: “(Look at your right hand)”

My hand had turned far more thin, almost skeletical.

“What the-?”

I: “(Relax, do you have any idea how long have I been trying to talk to you?!)”

“Wait… Izanami?!” The big red letters appeared.

I: “(Ye, let’s leave it at that. I’m Izanami one of the Original Undead Fibers as your friends call us)”

“Just when I started to relax...”

I: “(Hey! It’s exactly because of that that I’m able to contact you! If you weren't so on guard all day long I could’ve given you a couple of good advices by now!)”

“... so…what are you...”

I: “(I already told you! But if you still have question then I'll tell you and that weird girl once she return)”

“Weird girl?” I thought they were related somehow.

I: “(We’re not. That’s something I also want to know, she Obviously was looking for me back when you almost made me cut her head off)”

“You can read my mind... that’s gonna be annoying”

I: “(Then you better get used to it cuz I ain't going nowhere!)”

“Huh?!”

I: “(I’ll explain later but what you have to know right now is that we’re together until either of us die, got that?!)”

“... I-I guess...”

I: “(You’re tensing up again! Stop that! Is far easier to stay awake when you’re not like that!)”

“I got it I got it, damn...”

I: “(Don’t)”

I was about to ‘say’ something like how aggressive... ‘she’ (I guess) is but she shot me down before even thinking about it.

“If you don’t mind I’m going to drift away while trying to pretend you don’t exist, cool?”

I: “(Cool as long as you don’t go all serious like that girl you like, Satsuki was her name?)”

“...”

I: “(Nailed it)”

“I already want you to piss off...”

I: “(Don’t you worry, as long as that awful woman doesn’t find me I’m okay with doing whatever you want)”

“(Mari?!)”

I: “(Mari? Who’s that? I’m talking about Ragyo Kiryuin. We’ve been doing just fine without that woman and we want it to stay that way!)”


End file.
